NATIONAL GRASSLANDS MANAGEMENT
A PRIMER
Appendix C
Wooten, H. H. “The Land Utilization Program 1934 to 1964 – Origin, Development, and Present Status,” USDA Agriculture Economic Report No. 85 (1965).
The Land Utilization Program
ORIGIN, DEVELOPMENT, AND PRESENT STATUS
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ECONOMIC RESEARCH SERVICE FOREWORD
The proper use of our land resources foundation for a land utilization program. is of great importance to the Nation and Under the leadership of the National Re- should have a high priority in Government sources Planning Board, action programs policy--local, State, and national. It is of Lased on a planned attack on all aspects great significance to the individual citizen, of land use problems began to appear. Many no matter where he lives, or what his of us who were involved in the events of occupation may be. Land, and the re- the 1930's and 1940's have felt the need sources of the land both directly and in- of a look at the movement and the im- directly affect our lives and living every portant events in it from the beginning up day. The misuse of land res~urc~soften to date. expresses itself in poverty, low produc- It is for this reason that this report tivity, unemployment, poor schools, and a on the origins and development of land generally unsatisfactory way of life. As utilization projects is of great importance we gain a better understanding of the pro- at this time. This study is a milestone ductive possibilities and limitations of vari- in the march of progress in land utiliza- ous land classes, we find that much land tion. The findings are clearly stated and could be used more advantageously than evaluated. The report covers a program at present. that encompassed some 250 projects and It was often said 50 years ago that we over 11 million acres of land, each proj- were beginning to see and understand the ect serving both as a test and a demon- need for conservation and land use planning stration. The projects were well distributed but that not much would be done about it in relation to geography and the principal by Government or individuals until a na- problem areas of the United States. A tional consciousness and a state of public question may be asked, "Well and good, opinion were developed which would sup- but 11 million acres is but a drop in the port action by Congress and State legis- bucket as far as the totalnational land prob- latures in the fields of research, public lem is concerned; what about the large education, and action projects. The White amount of work yet to be done?" In answer House Conservation Conference in 1908 to this reasonable question, we can say called by President Theodore Roosevelt that we hope each project acts as a leaven was one of the first of a series of events to induce future planning. We can have which started the movement which has hope and confidence that we have passed gone steadily forward ever since. the pioneering phase of the work and that A number of events since World War I there will be an expansion of land utiliza- have been responsible for the progress made tion planning and development in the United in all aspects of the land utilization prob- States under pending river basin and re- lem. In response to the depressed situa- gional development programs. tion in agriculture during the 1920's and 19301s, a national conference on land utili- zation was held in 1931 which laid the ------M. L. Wilson PREFACE
The information in this report was ob- A. Steele, Mark M. Regan, i-qorman E. tained fro.% many sources. Records of the Landgren, and Robert W. Harrison, E~~- land utilization program in the files of nomic Research Service; Edward G. ~~~~t, both State and Federal agencies were con- Fred JV. Grover, Howard E. Smith, john S. sulted. In addition, a number of individuals Forsman, and Lawrence S. Newcornbe, who had a special interest in the land Forest Service; Claude F. Clayton, William utilization projects because of active par - A. Hartman, Elmer Starch, and Carl C. ticipation in the research, planning, ac- Taylor, Resettlement Administration and quisition, and management phases of the Bureau of Agricultural Economics; Glad- program provided valuable information win E, Young and Roy D. Hockensmith, from memory and from personal papers. Soil Conservation Service; Virgil Gilman The history of a number of land utiliza- and Phillip K. Hooker, Federal Extension tion projects was reviewed in 1963 and 1964. Service; all of the Department of Agri- Twelve projects under Federal adminis- culture; and Karl A. Landstrom, Depart- tration and 17 projects under State ad- ment of the Interior. ministration were visited, records and Valuable aid was received from Loyd reports studied, and persons consulted Glover, South Dakota State University; who were familiar with the use of the George H. Aull, Clemson College; William land and its management. The visits to T. Fullilove, Georgia State Agricultural projects and the discussions with pro- Experiment Station; and many others asso- fessional workers and people of the proj- ciated with the land use research and ect areas gave an insight into some of the action programs of the 1930's and subse- problems, policies, and accomplishments quent land management and research ac- not fully revealed in written records and tiviti e s . reports. Reports and p~blicationscover- Especially useful sources were the ing some phases of 35 additional projects papers, files, reference lists, and publica- in different parts of the country were tions of L. C. Gray, Bureau of -4gricultural read. Several of the 60 or more projects Economics and Kesettlement Administra- reviewed had been observed firsthand in tion, 1920-40; Carleton E. Barnes, Bureau their early stages by the writer, who of Agricultural Economics and Resettle- was assigned to the land utilization re- ment Administration; Margaret R. Purcell, search and appraisal staff during the first Bureau of Agricultural Economics and stages of acquisition and development in Economic Research Service; 0. E. Baker, the 1930's. Francis J. Marschner, Howard Turner, The author wishes to give special ac- Bureau of Agricultural Economics; and knowledgement to the following people for Philip M. Click. Solicitor's Office. their helpfulness in providing suggestions and materials: Ernst H. Wiecking, Harry August 1965 CONTENTS
Page
Summary ...... Origin and development ...... Introduction...... National Conference on Land Utilization ...... National Resources Board ...... Formation of the land utilization program ...... The Agricultural Adjustment Administration ...... Transfer to Resettlement Administration ...... Projects established and land acquired. 1934-37 ..... Change of status of the program under the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act ...... Assignment to the Bureau of Agricultural Economics . . Transfer to Soil Conservation Service ...... Land acquired under Title I11 of the Act ...... Land utilization research ...... Background studies ...... Research as part of project planning and development . . Extent and cost of land acquisition and project development . Land acquisition ...... Project development ...... Location of projects ...... Use of project land ...... Relocation of families residing on lands acquired...... Relocation under the Resettlement Administration .... Relocation under the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act . Relation of land utilization program to local governments . . Examples of the impact of land purchase on local farm- ing and government ...... Federal payments to local governments ...... Management and use of the land utilization projects ...... Relationship of land management and transfers ...... Management by the Soil Conservation Service. 1938.53 . Management by the Forest Service. 1954-63 ...... Management by the Bureau of Land Management ..... Management of Indian projects ...... Management by State and local agencies ...... Plans for long-range use and management ...... Appraisal of the land utilization program ...... Examples of land utilization projects ...... Oconee Na t i ona 1 Forest and adjacent wildlife refuges. experiment stations. and parks ...... Land use plans in the 1930's ...... Use of project resources in the 1960's ...... Income and expenditures ...... Recreation ...... Management ...... Grand River National Grassland ...... History of the South Dakota land utilization projects ... Purchase and development of the project ...... Resettlement of families ...... Later administration and use ...... Income and expenditures ...... Changes. 1955.64 ...... Page Achievements of the project ...... Comparison of the Georgia Piedmont and the Perkins- Corson land utilization projects ...... Buffalo Gap National Grassland ...... Description and justification ...... Early development ...... Families residing on land ...... Use of the project land. 1959-63 ...... Fall River Ranger District ...... Use of project in 1964 ...... Milk River Grazing District project ...... Cimarron National Grassland ...... French Creek State Park ...... New York Land Utilization Project ...... Beltrami Wildlife Management Area ...... Yellowwood State Forest ...... Bladen Lakes State Forest ...... Objectives ...... Financial development ...... Personnel and organization ...... Experimental projects in progress ...... Construction and maintenance ...... Sandhills Wildlife Management Area ...... Clemson Forest ...... Historical background ...... Timber inventories. 1936-58 ...... Coordination of Forest management. with research. teaching. and demonstration ...... Bibliography ...... Appendix A.- -Explanation of differences in reports of acreages . acquired in the land utilization program ...... Appendix B.- -Chronology of the land utilization program ...... Appendix C.--Land utilization project work units completed and in progress for selected jobs of land improvements. June 30. SUMMARY
Among the critical agricultural problems and the Bankhead- Jones Farm Tenant Act, of the 1930's was the cultivation of a large all passed in the 1930's. Parts of the 11.3 acreage of submarginal farmland--land that million acres are now managed by 7 Fed- could not profitably grow crops. Mortgage eral agencies, and 2 or more State agen- foreclosures, tax delinquencies, and per- cies in some 30 States. Up to 1954, when sonal hardship were commonplace in areas arrangements were made for permanent where large acreages of submarginal land land assignments, the costs of developing were being farmed. Severe droughts, floods, the land were about $102.5 million (about erosion, poor cultivation practices, neg- $9 an acre). So the total cost for ,land lect, and, frequently, abandonment were and development was approximately $150 causing heavy damage to the land. million. Much of the labor of developing Recognizing the magnitude of the sub- the land was done by persons who would marginal land problem, the Secretary of otherwise have been jobless. Agriculture summoned a National Con- Nearly 25,000 families occupied the ac- ference on Land Utilization in 1931, to quired land. More than 8,000 needy families study these problems and to make reports were helped to relocate. Over 16,000 and recommendations. One result was the families relocated by their own efforts. In creation of the National Resources Board, some cases, families could remain in their which assembled data and prepared maps homes and work on the development or showing submarginal land areas. This maintenance of projects. Board recommended in 1934 that the Fed- The land utilization projects were not eral Government purchase and develop 75 uniform in nature, size, use, or manage- million acres of submarginal farmland in ment; no 2 projects were exactly alike. the various regions to serve the public and They ranged in size from less than a relieve the distress of the occupants of thousand acres to more than a million. the submarginal land and of nearby areas. Some 100 Federal and State projects are An Executive Order late in 1933 already now in forests; about 30 are in Federal had established funds to buy land, retire grassland pasture and range; about 70 are it from cultivation, and develop it for in parks and recreation areas; and 50 are pasture, forest, range, park, recreation, in wildlife refuges and management.areas. wildlife refuge, and similar uses. The Multiple use is a practice common to all program devised was based on research, projects. Many projects have good build- and on the cooperation of professional ings, roads, water supplies, and other organizations, State agricultural experi- facilities for management, fire control, ment stations, land management and re- timber processing, grazing, fish and wild- search agencies of the Departments of life production and management, experi- Agriculture and Interior, and local govern- mental demonstrations of good forest and ments, grazing associations, and soil con- grassland practices, and recreational sites. servation districts. Most of the agricultural projects have Some 250 land utilization projects, total- been under the administration and manage- ing 11.3 million acres in 45 States, were ment of the Forest Service and the Bureau acquired for $47.5 million (about $4.40 an of Land Management since 1954, and now acre exclusive of public domain land as- are in National Forests, National Grass- signed) between 1933 and 1946. More than lands, and Federal grazing districts. Co- four-fifths of this total acreage--9.5 mil- operative grazing associations have an im- lion acres--is now used chiefly for range portant part in- use and management of and forests and related multiple uses, these lands. such as wildlife protection, watersheds, Comparative studies of the project land and recreation. Over one-sixth-- 1.8 mil- in the 19301s, and in the 1960's after 30 lion acres--is used for wildlife refuges and years, show much change and improvement. parks. Useful purposes are served by providing All sales made to the Federal Govern- rural recreational areas, wildlife refuges, ment were voluntary. Title to the land was and supplemental incomes to local people obtained under provisions of the emer- from grazing and forestry, from employ- gency relief and industrial recovery acts, ment in maintenance and operation, and from related private enterprises. The Fed- policies encouraging settlement and de- eral Government and the States receive velopment of land whether or not it was fairly substantial payments for use of land suited to cultivation. The program as a now in forest and grass, as a result of whole put much land to more profitable improved management, restoration, and uses. development. Counties where these lands Considered as a whole, much of this are located receive 25 percent of the in- land has been developed into useful units come from the land for the support of and has become an important factor in schools and roads. the local and regional area's life and wel- -4n outstanding feature of these land fare. The land utilization program of the utilization projects is that they give people 1930's bears a close resemblance to the a chance to observe good land use prac- 1964 plans to aid in the alleviation of tices and efficient management of forests, rural poverty and distress. grasslands, and recreational and wildlife Case studies of 12 projects illustrate areas. The projects are proving grounds the wide diversity of land use problems for social, economic, and educational pro- in different regions of the country--the grams. past ill-adopted use for agriculture, and The Nation was made aware that poor the shift to use for parks, wildlife refuges, agricultural land should not be allowed to forest, and grasslands. How better usage suffer from misuse, or to absorb the un- has been brought about is shown by de- employed during depressions. The land scription of improvement and manage- utilization program helped reverse U.S. ment. THE LAND UTILIZATION PROGRAM, 1934 TO 1964 Origin, Development, and Present Status
by H. H. Wooten, Economic Research Service Resource Development Economics Division1 I. ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT INTRODUCTION
The nationwide economic depression of placed in agricultural production, thereby the late 1920's and earlv 1930's awakened ceasing to be undeveloped public domain. public interest in rural land use problems Unsettled land, even though not well adapted and policies. Thousands of persons no longer to cultivation, was generally considered a able to find work in towns and cities tried hindrance to full development of the Nation. to make a living by farming. This back-to- But by the 1920ts, it was beginning to be the-land movement intensified the problems recognized that efforts to develop quickly of established farmers and rarely solved all land for agriculture without careful the problems of the unemployed from urban appraisal of its suitability for such use centers. Farm foreclosures multiplied, tax had led to cultivation of much poor land, or delinquencies increased, farm incomes land unsuitable for sustained ~roductionof dwindled, and in many areas the land re- crops (50, 5_7, 72). sources were damaged by drought, floods, One of the most obvious problems in the erosion, poor cultivation practices, and 1920's and 1930's was the damage to natural neglect. It became increasingly evident soil and water resources from continued that thousands of farm families had long cultivation of unproductive farms, which been living in poverty on poor land, and were often eventually abandoned (fig. 1). that the depression and weather were merely In several areas of the Southern Piedmont aggravating their problems. and Appalachian Regions, for example, the The land utilization program of the 1930's almost continuous cultivation of steep slopes was one of the methods by which the Nation in row crops had resulted in serious ero- attempted to deal with these problems. sion, stoppage of stream channels by sedi- This program began as a submarginal land mentation, damage to reservoirs, low crop purchase and development program, but yields, and depletion of large areas of land was gradually expanded to include the (fig. 2). But despite the unsuitability of broader aim of transferring land to its much steep hill and mountain land for food most suitable use.' and feed crops, many families remained Public policy and plans seldom spring dependent on it for a living (3, 3). full-grown into being, but develop gradually In the drier portions of the western as the result of public support of certain Great Plains, wind erosion damaged not programs and public rejection of others. only cultivated land but the adjoining over- So it was with the land utilization program. grazed pasture, range, and other land as Until the beginning of the 20th century, the well. Soil particles in the form of dust and sentiment of the country had been that land fine sand, blown from cultivated fields, had little value until it became settled and fallow land, and overgrazed range during the prolonged drought of 1933-36, covered Mr. Wooten is now retired. and destroyed the crops and sod on nearby The term "submarginal land," as used here and land (figs. 3 and 4). Untended fields, held elsewhere in the agricultural field, generally refers under uncertain tenure, contributed heavily to land low in productivity, or otherwise ill-suited for farm crops, which falls below the margin of Underscored numbers in parentheses refer to profitable private cultivation. Bibliography, p. 64.
5CS Kan-535 f lqurr: 3.--TypIc?l &:orton County, Kans., hnnr~xwadalwn It wn?r opclunsd for purchasc undcr thclai~durillza- rlan prrYAforn. id r-:IS 132 s~mlar~ti!and, c.\~;sPL~thes~' con- 6:t;1.:, ti> develop a-d qrow worss: :vlth t!lc
1 I:to farmlnq, tended to brcomc Lix r?rIl.?,;ucllt suort alter thc furcstti tvc.re rr.-:~uvc*t!. But the scattered families living o:: trLcase submarginal lands cont~nuedto r.rt ,! rn.ic!s, scl-.ools, ~~cloti1t.r ~uSlic srrT:- :cia=, t:.us roq9iiri::g pu'alic cspen(i1turt.s i~f marly tl.:~cs t!xr amounts the.)- contr;butrad ir: trtxi.?. k'triny rurdl cour,tic3sfaced i,t.;lvy c1c-ll~lt.5. Cor.grcss r-cognlr; td tht- qro,.ving nt.tld for actlar: on tVlrp~oblex of subm,lrginal I! ad providtx! In the Agrrcultural stud:; of land usc problems was to prornotr Xfarketing Act of Jun:: 15, 1329, author1z.a- the reo rganizatior. of agriculture to divert t:o:i for the Feder~lFarm Aoard to inves- land from unprofitable use, arid to avc)iJ tigat? tI:c utlll~atio:~of ladfor agricultural thr cullivatio~iof lacd that contributt.d to tilt. p.lrpr,aes and the pcissibillty of rttlucmgthe poverty of those who lived on it. Earl!.l arnorint of marginal land In cu1tivatio:l. in 19.33, Presideat IIoovtzr asked Cangrcss T'nis +as the beginning of an incrcaslr.qly to implement Secretary of Xgricultnrt. srrlous study of the land pri~blernin America Ilydc's rccornmendation that the: Chverri- and of the steps required to bring about a ment lease submarginal farmland and con- better adjustment between the use of land vert it to other uses--& progrJm that and tht- natural ch,lrttcter of the Kation's FIydc rtkgarded as an t?.-nerFency effort land resources. Somc: of the forerunners which could 1r:ad to a program of sys- of t:~c: land utilization program are de- tematic land utilizatron. jcribed below.
National Conference on Larid Utilization A National Planning Roard as rstab- Aware of mountlng distress among lished in the Public Works Adrnlnistrat~on farmers, S~cretaryof .kgriculturc Arthur in July 1933. This Board \.;is ~n tt~srisuc- M. IIydc arranpcd a National Conference ce~dedby the Sational Krsourcos Roard, on IAandUtilization in Chicago, inSovember created by Executive Order of Prt.sider:t 1931. The Confertl-nct: adopted a series of Koosevelt on June 30, 1934. Tnt: latter resolutions (*j, many of which werelater Doard took as one of its first tasks t!i~ to becorn? the guidelrzes for a Fedcralland preparation of a comprehensive report program. 'The conferurice was attended by the land and water resources of t:.it: United reprcsentativus of the U.S. Dcpartrnents of Statcs, in cooperation with the L.S. Dr- Aprlculturc and the Interior, State agri- partments of Agrrculturr and the Interior, cultural calleges, farm organizations, and State planning boards, agricultural experi- others interested in land use problems. ment stntlons, and other interested agencies In l93L, a Xiitional Land Use Plarinifig snd md~viduals(L.14). Corn-ittee, made up of representatives of The report, issued by the Board's Land Federal bureaus and land-grant colleges, Plarinirig Committee in December 1934, kvas cre2tt.d. ?'he organization of this Corn- suggested that national policies should ac- rnittcr* was ont. of the important results tlvely seek to brmg about those land oivnr:r- of the Kational Conference on Land Utilxza- sLip and land use patterns found to be tlon, From thp time of its organization, clearly in the interest of tk.~ gerler:~l the hatlonal Land Use Planning Comtnittee publ~c welfare, as contrasted .vv~tilpurely individual or zroup intcrcstu. it invcr.- of land acquisition, and acquire somc 75 toried land resources and estimated future million acres of land, to "supp1erncr.t the land rcqulrcmcnts for variaus uscs; it assistance to private forestry, and erosior.- ldcntified maladj us trrients in land use and coatrol work" a.lrcady uxderway. The Board recommended public pollcies for correcting suggested that the way to begin such a pro- them. It also recommended increasing the gram would be to acquirc carefully selected areas in Federal and Statc forests, public areas of submarginal land and demonstrate parks, recreation a reas, Lndran rescrva- !low it codd be used to serve tke public. tio2s, and wildlife refuges. It was recognized that it would, at thesame The most significant policy recornmenda- time, be necessary to relocate the occupants tio~,however, concerned the marginal and or regroup them In suitable areas, taking submarginal land and its occupants. The into accou~~tthe possibilities for crnploy- Board recommended that the Federal ment afforded by the land utilization proj- Goverriment carry 02 a lonq-term policy ects.
FORMATION OF THE LAXD UTILIZATION PROGRAM La:? in 1833, a Special Board of Public cspcnded wich the result that the owners remain im- Works w~thmembers from several Federal poverlshed while working them. departments passed a resolution ca1lir.g for -1. That they shall be lands available for or suit- establishment of a submarginal land pur- sble for development as forests, or as parks or chase program by the Cover~rnent. In rccreacion spaces, or 35 grazing rangcs, or as hirci February 1934, such a program was in- or game refuges or as additions co Indian rrservn- stituted by thc Agricultural Adjustment dons or such rhat their deveIopmant through planting Administration with $25 million provided of forests and gruund cover will servc a$ a protection from Federal Emergency Relief Adminis- againsr soil erosion or for ocher specific public works tratior- appropriations. This program was and knoflts to rhe people af the Llnitcd States. to ir-clude four types of projects: (1) Agri- 5. 'hat ic shall be possible to work out a definite cultural adjustment, (2)Indlan 1ar.d. (3)rec- plan of resettlement or employment of the population reation, and (4) wildlife refuge. With the at prescne living on such lands so that they may not initial allotment of $25 million, supple- become stranded or transient . mented by transfers from Work Relief funds Every project accepted under this program shall to cmploy labor for development, it was meet che condidons specified in the five points men- proposed to acquirc approximately 10 mil- tioned above. The merhod of operadon shall be thc lion acres of land located in 45 States. The following: overall purpose of the proyram was to carry Projects will bc presented through any interested out an important land policy function not depsrtmcnc, bureau, or section, such as thc lndian dxplicated by any other Federal program. Scrvicc, Biological Survey, Relief Administration, or Details ad rcquirements of the first othe~wlse. They will he esamtned by the several allotrncnt of $25 .nlllion for lard purchase governmsncal dcpartmencs concerned co determine have been summarized as follow; (7C): whether or not they can be handled in full sacisfacrion of each of the five points ~peclfiedabove. It is the intention ro rum the land over to a Federal 1. Thar the Iancls purchased shall be such 3s in gen- Department for its operation for the purpose of which eral co fall undcr subsection (c) of Secuon 202 of the it ts best adapted--forests, range or park--these in Sational Industrial Recovery Act in chat rhcy shall bc charge of Furcscry Scrricc, Int!i:!rl Officc, or Park lands of chc character heretoforc purchased by the Stace Service, 311d SO on. of New York undcr die progr;lrn developed (1928-32) by Govc rnor Roosevelt (Pres1dcn~-clcctin 1932) for die The Agricultural Acljust~ncnt:2dminist1*ation w~thlirawalaf submarginal lands from cultivation. The admin:stratior. of the agricultural ad- 2. That they shall be lands chat in tocal amount justment projvcta, as well as the general bnlancc aqa:nsc the Lands, the reclamation or Improve- direction uf thc whole land utilization pro- ment of which has becn provided for undcr the corn- gram, was tkc immediate responsibility of pr~hcn.~lvcprogram of pubIic works on condirion chx the Land Policy Section of the .Agricultural counterbalancing lands bc wlthdrawn fromcultivarion, Adjustment Ad:ninis:ration. The respon- 3. That they shall be lands whlch arc now in cultl- sibility for plan::ing, and in specific cases, vation, produclnq agrfculcural crops at a r3rc of for acquring land for other types of proj- production whlch the Departmentof Agriculrure spcci- cc:s was assigned as followu: Indian lands fles 3s suhmarqinal, thac is, giving return that is projects, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, lesr; than Is to bc propcrly erpccted from che labor Gepartrncnt of the I~tzrior; ?arks, k;e t!:at had beur: dcplt.ttc! by years of 1-cro? cotton or tobacco farrnlng, the prOjr?cts werc .:~r,te:-ndc~dtn r<.storc soil fertil~ty, culture, 0rg.lnl~c.d tt.chnlca! dlrectlon of timber, ant? gAme. Scattered farms iso- ti;+: land retlrrrnent funds and programs lated in Lake .Status forests impr>stad h*:dv;i ..%as t;, bc t:.ir joint r~sponsibliltyof Agri- burtlers on lqcd gove rnnt:nts for s t.rvlccs cultur6- o.nd 1r.tt:r:or. and facllitir.5; Sht2se f~rmswere to be pur- The prrrnary r:~t*:rcst of the Agrlcultural chased and assistance givrn t:le f.lrrnr:t-i Adjustment .\dministration was lrr the orig- to resettle ?:I dtve1opi.d communltr~s. inal purpose of tht. land program: ftctiring tigricx!tllrdl adjustment projects were to submarginal land from agriculturd use, comprrje approsi!-nati:ly 7 million acrps of
prmclpally for dzmonstrntlonal purpos tbs, 1mcconom:c farmland, together :~.ith adja- anci dei,eloplng rt for uses to which ~t was cent tracts, to be acquired for forestry, better s~ut~xi.To it was dlottrd two- grazing, and othc r rxtensivc cons ~rvatlonal thirds of the St5 miltic>n avz~lable.Such uses. Major problems to be attacktd were alloc,~tion of pubilc xorks -none:; for (1) damage of soil and water resources, farmiand rrt1rcmer.t was ~~istlfiedin part forest, and grass cover trxrough eroslon to offset ti: effc,ct of dcv~.loornc*nt of and tile improper usc of land; (2) waste land by reclamat~onprojects with pub- of human r+sources through depende:lce of lic marks funds. 'The other aecncies in- rural people upon land pi:)-sicallv unfit for volved in thr proeram were interested agricidtural production; and f 3) 1055 of fi- prrrnclrlly in acquring land for special nancial res0urcr.s by State and local govern- prirpos es. rnents through excessive costs of public I.,. C. Gray, Director of the Land Policy services in submarqlnal areas wherc: tax Sec tron, Agrlcultural Adjustment Adminis - returns were too meager or uncertain to tration, &.rote (55, 56) that as the land cover the costs. rclt'irement program progressed, it took on Some 1,500,000 acres of marginal farm- rncroasln~lythe aspect of a "land-use ad- land ,.vere to be purchased fur use by justment" program, because ''.. .areas were Indiars. Most of this lacd was to bc: used placed in public ownership which, even for graaing. Iiecreatior~alprojects planned though not outstandingly submargmal for under the supervision of the National Park agriculture, were nevarthel~ssdevoted to Servlce were to cons~stof some 500,000 some use other than that for which they acres of poor farmland and other unpro- were best suited." Hence it was often ductive tracts located largely wlthin 50 difficult ''to reconcile the needs of specified miles of rndustrial centers, to be developed areas for recreation, wildlife conservation, prlmarlly to provide recreational facilities or Indian rehabilitatiol: with the basic for low-rncome famllles. 'These projc:cts planning of a submarginal land retirement varied rn size from small picnic grounds program.. . ." (2). to 10,000-acre preserves. Accord~ngto Dr. Gray, a project was Approximately 750,000 acrc.s were to be considered worthwhile when it could be included ir; migratory waterfowl and other s3tisfactorlly shown "that public acquisition wildllfe projects. They were largely arcas of lands In the selected area, coupled wlth that could be partly flooded and used as resettlement of the present residents on resting and breeding areas for migratory better land, wlll provlde an effective demon- waterfowl, stratlon of one means whereby these prob- lems can be solved." Project Planning and- Devt:lo~m~:~J In t!le Plains States, where by far the Procedure followed in carrying out the largest acreage was to be purchased, the land-acquisition program as outlined in a purpose of the land program was to set! report to t!ie U.S. Senate from the Secretary that semiarid land used for whedt or other of Agriculture (152): arable farming was used for grazing in- - stead. Thls involved both increasing the The initial step in the sclectinn of a proj~.ctis the size of fdrms and resettling low-income definition uf a "problem" arca--that is, an area in famllles w'flrrc thcy would not btr dependent which the cundic~onsof Imd use dc.mand rcadjumnenc. ttpon ar:d land unfit for cultivated agrlcul- To faciltrate the definitlun of such ''probi~rn"dreas. t~lrt-. 1.md ube spcc~.llists~tt ~hed tu the rclgionaI offices Land purchased in the Northeast was to cnoperxe closcly wtth the aqriculrural c.
U. 5. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE NEG. ERS 3345-64 (11) ECONOMIC RESEARCH SERVICE
Projects Established and Land Acquired, TABLE 2.--Land u:ilization projects planned and 1934-37 approved for acquisition, by tme, June 30, 1937 In the 4 years ended June 30, 1937, land had been purchased or approved for pur- Number Ltnd to chase for 98 agricultural adjustment proj- Type of project of be projects purchased ects, 30 Indian land projects, 32 migratory waterfowl projects, apd 46 recreational projects. Of the total of 9,149,000 acres, 1,000 purchase had been completed on 5,478,216 Numher -acres acres. Changes in project plans and prob- &ricul;urd adjustment .... 98 6,506 ?ems of title clearance were partly respon- ~ecreationall...... i6 102 sible for the time required for completion hildlifel...... 3 2 723 lndianl...... 30 ! 1,218 of purchase. Figure 6 and table 2 show the location and types of the 206 land utiliza- ToLd...... 206 1 2 g,;~9 tion projects and the resettlement projects. The figure and table illustrate the 2 major Projects trapsferred to jurisdiction or the activities --acquisition of land and resettle- Department of the Interior by Execuxive 0raers 1935 ;o 1938. ment of rural families from submarginal Figures on final acquisitions througn 19L6 are land. given in table 4, p. 18. Many projects initiated during this phase of the program were best adapted to admin- Source: Anw~alKerort ?f Administrator, Resettle- ment ALninlstration, 19313-37 istration by agencies other than those (=). responsible for setting them up. By Septem- (3) Thirty-five of the projects, generally ber 1, 1937, approximately a million acres small to moderate in size, but including a had been transferred to other agencies re- few large projects, were in the badly eroded, sponsible for administering parks, wildlife poor farmland, and cutover areas of the programs, and other resource uses. southern States from Virginia to Arkansas The 98 agricultural adjustment projects and Louisiana. Improper farm practices, that were started in 1934-37 may be divided cultivation of land of low productivity, land into 4 land use groups. Although different too steep or too dry for production of culti- from each other in many respects, the proj- vated crops, small farms, and a fairly ects within these groups had in the 19301s, dense, low-income population dependent and still have, several common problems upon the land, made adjustments in use and relating to use and occupancy of land: conservation of land and relocation and (1) Eighteen of these projects, many of rehabilitation of population difficult to them small, were located in the northeastern achieve. States and southern portions of the Corn (4) Twenty-six moderate to large proj- Belt in hilly areas of poor soil, gradual ects, formed before 1938, were in the farm abando~nment,stranded families, and Northern Plains and the Southwest, and 9 burdensome public costs for maintenance projects were in the Central Mountain and of roads, schools, and other public services. Pacific States. Insufficient rainfall, low pro- (2) Ten of the projects, generally of duction, and small private holdings--gen- moderate size, were located in the isolated erally too small for either crops or live- and thinly settled areas of the cutover stock farming and interspersed with public regions of. the Lake States. The poor soils lands--were common problems in these and isolation contributed to low incomes, projects. A basic problem in many areas low standards of living, and inadequate was the need to adjust the use of rangeland public services, often at high costs, for the to its grazing capacity, and to provide for scattered rural residents. its restoration and conservation.
CHANGE OF STATUS OF THE PROGRAM UNDER THE BANKHEAD-JONES FARM TENANT ACT A more permanent status for the land Isolated Settler Projects: Purchase of utilization program was provided with the scattered farms on submarginal land to passage of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant permit the effectuation of certain economies Act in 1937. Under Title 111, the Secretary in public administration and adjustment of Agriculture was directed "to develop a to some better adapted use such as forestry, program of land conservation and land game conservation, grazing, recreation, or utilization, including the retirement of lands a combination of such uses, which are submarginal or not primarily Water Conservation Projects: Purchase suitable for cultivation in order thereby of land and construction of water develop- to correct maladjustments in land use."4 ments in areas where the conservation of Land to be acquired was limited to poor water is essential to proper land use. land used in agriculture, except that inter- Under the broad powers of Title 111, the vening or adjoining land could be purchased reestablishment of a large-scale Federal in order to allow efficient conservation and acquisition program was possible. Section use of the area as a whole. Arrangements 34 provided that: had already been made for transfer of To carry out the provisions of this title, there is Indian, recreational, and wildlife projects authorized to be appropriated not to exceed $10,000,000 to other agencies, and no more land was for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1938, and not to to be acquired for these purposes. exceed $20,000,000 for each of the two fiscal years The projects authorized were defined in thereafter. 3 major groups: Actually, the funds appropriated did not ~~riculturalProjects: Purchase and im- equal the authorization and thus the pro- provement of land which is submarginal in gram fell short of the original intent. Ten its present use as a means of developing million dollars was made available for the an economically sound pattern of land use first year, but in the following years the for a maximum number of families. appropriation was cut to $5 million. Approximately 80 percent of the money &Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act, Public Law, available in the first year was allotted for No. 210, 75th Cong., 1st Sess., July 22, 1937. land purchase in the Great Plains area for projects planned and options taken during and Indian grazing projects had beentrans- the 2 preceding years, and about 20percent ferred to cooperating Federal agencies for was allotted for blocking in existing proj- management in these special uses (table 3). ects in other parts of the country and com- Acquisition of some of this land had not been pleting projects already started. Nearly completed, but commitments had been made all new projects were similar to the agri- for its purchase. A few of the agricultural cultural adjustment projects established adjustment projects were consolidated and prior to fiscal year 1938. some transferred to other agencies, re- In the year ending June 30, 1938, the ducing the number from 145 (table 3), to acquisition of 2,464,673 acres was com- 128 (fig. 7). pleted by clearance of titles and payments for land. This brought the total actually bought and paid for since the beginning of Transfer to Soil Conservation Service the land utilization program to 7,942,889 acres. In addition, plans were approved In October 1938, submarginal land ac- for acquisition of 2,192,742 acres at an quisition, development, and management estimated cost of $8,111,540-approximately functions provided for under Title I11 were $3.70 an acre. By far the largest acreage transferred by the Secretary of Agriculture planned for purchase was in the northern to the Soil Conservation Service, to be ad- and southern plains. ministered as a part of its program for conservation and improved use of agri- cultural land."and use adjustment proj- Assignment to the Bureau of Agricultural ects that in 1937 had been placed under Economics the administration of the Bureau of Agri- cultural Economics were also assigned to Secretary's Memorandum No. 733, of the Soil Conservation Service. September 1, 1937, provided for the transfer Land that had been acquired in coopera- of the land utilizationprogram, as continued tion with other Federal agencies--Bureau and revised by Title I11 of the Bankhead- of Indian Affairs, National Park Service, Jones Farm Tenant Act, from the Farm and Bureau of Biological Survey (now the Security Administration5 to the Bureau of Fish and Wildlife Service)- -was virtually Agricultural Economics Ifas rapidly as may all transferred to theseagencies by October be administratively feasible." 1938. Transfers of a number of projects to Since the Farm Security Administration other Federal and State agencies had already had an existing organization for land pur- been made by this date. This left the Soil chase and development, it seemed desirable Conservation Service responsible for ad- to allow the transfer of the program to ministration of some 7.1 million acres of take place gradually. Memoranda of under- land in 105 projects, developed mainly as standing outlined the responsibilities of the agricultural land use adjustment projects. 2 agencies in conduct of the program from Approved project plans for acquisition of September 1, 1937, to July 1, 1938, including about 2.2 million acres, chiefly in the Great administration and acquisition of land, and Plains States under the new authority of relocation of families on old projects and Title 111, also were transferred. A con- assistance to families on new projects siderable number of options on land had established under Title 111. already been taken. Part of this land was In this connection, the Bureau was as- for enlargement of projects started before signed administrative responsibility for 13 1 1937. Consolidation of projects in the in- projects involving an area of 8,142,666 terest of more efficient management later acres. This included 25 projects scheduled reduced the number of projects in the in- for transfer as of June 30, 1938, to other ventory of 1938. agencies. By June 30, 1938, a total of 2,147,000 acres in recreational, wildlife, Land Acquired Under Title I11 of the Act The Farm Security Administration was formed September 1, 1937, as successor to the Resettle- In the eastern, southern, and midwestern ment Administration, to administer Titles I and I1 regions, the land acquisition program under and related sections of Title IV of the Act authorizing Title I11 of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant resettlement aid to farmers in submarginal areas, and farm loans for purchase of farms by tenant Secretary of Agriculture's Memorandum No. 785, farmers. October 16, 1938. '~.L-EU?.--Status of land u',ilizatim projects planned and approved far acquisition, June 30, 1933
-- - Reassigned or to Remaining under Item be reassigned to ?rogran agency for Total other agencies administrafion
- ~- - Pro.:'ects Established as of LTune 30, 1937, 1,000 1,000 1,000 under Bnerge~cyAcLs of 1933-35:
Agricultural adjust,ment ...... Indian land ...... Secreatiorial ...... !Yild.Life ......
Total ......
Projects Established as of June 30, 1938, under Title 111:'
Agricultursl and other ......
Grand total ......
25 proj<:cti;, inc1udi~-597,909 acres, were scheduled for transfer. Deduction of these projects would reduce the nuater of original projects under the administering agency to 80 projects comprising 6,492,875 acrez. ' Title I11 of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act of July 17, 1937. includes acreage in new projects and the additions to old or original projects. There had been 5 con- ?;olidations of nearby projects and discontinuance of 2 projects, which reduced the number of projects from the total reported earlier for old and new projects.
Sources: Compiled from annual reports and records on the land utilization program by the Bureau of Agricultural Econcjmics and the Resettlement Administration, 1936 to 1938. The figures in part are approxi- mations since chronological records are not always uniform, are sometimes incomplete, and are of different anquai dates.
Act was directed to a large extent toward for which commitments were made under the completing projects established before the original program after the transfer in 1938. passage of the Act. However, in the West, Acquisition had ceased by 1943, except for chiefly in the Great Plains, several large small areas in process of acquisition for new projects were started as well as large blocking in existing areas. additions being made to old proj,ects. Ownership and occupancy data on tracts The practice in the east, south, and mid- purchased under Title I11 show the follow- west was to have more and smaller projects; ing breakdown of ownership at time of pur- farther west there was a tendency to con- chase: centrate on acquiring larger areas and enlarging established projects. One reason Percent for this was that submarginal lands were acquired in the west mainly for conserva- Individuals ...... 76.1 tion purposes, including the restoration to Estates, trustees, or guardians...... 10.0 grassland of cropland unsuited to cultiva- Commercial banks ...... 1.5 tion. In other areas, the acquisition pro- Federal and joint stock land banks...... 4.1 gram was directed more toward the estab,- Insurance companies...... 0.9 lishment of demonstrational and other Other corporations ...... 3.7 multiple-use areas. County and State Governments ...... 3.7 Through February 1943, 2,439,511 acres were acquired under the new authorization The percentage of tracts occupied by in Title 111. In all, about 2.6 million acres, owners was 14.5, and ranged from 6.7 or about 22 percent of the total land percent in the Southern Plains Region to utilization project acreage, were acquired 35.2 percent in the Northeastern Region. under this authority. In addition, title clear- Tenants occupied 13.8 percent of all tracts, ance was completed under the Soil Con- and showed the greatest perce~tagein the servation Service for about a million acres Southeastern and South Central Regions, LOCATION OF AREAS WHERE LAND WAS ACQUIRED UNDER THE LAND UTILIZATION PROGRAM
AGRICULTURAL ADJUSTMENT PROJECT AREAS WHERE LAND WAS ACQUIRED FIS~ALYEARS 1935 TO 1942
U. I. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE NEC. ERS slab-64 (10) ECONOMIC RESEARCH SERVICE
Figure 7 and the smallest in the Mountainand Pacific the land was located. Out-of-State owner- Regions. Squatters occupied only 0.7 percent ship was relatively low in the 3 of all tracts (170). eastern regions, and relatively high in Owners of 30 percent of the purchased the northern plains and the south- tracts resided outside the State in which west.
LAND UTILIZATION RESEARCH
Background Studies cropland acreages and to determine the relation to acreage requirements of such Many of the basic ideas of the land utili- factors as population trends and changes zation program grew out of research work in production techniques, consumption, and in the Bureau of Agricultural Economics, foreign trade was done by 0. E. Baker (9, the Forest Service, the Bureau of Chem- -10). Similar work was done by the ores st istry and Soils, and a number of State Service in estimating prospective require- agricultural experiment stations and uni- ments for forest products. versities. The average acreage requirements for harvested crops used for domestic con- Cropland Requirements sumption and export in 1930- 32, including Research in the 1920's and 1930's to maintenance of draft animals, were esti- furnish estimates of current and prospective mated to be only about 15 million acres less than the average of 352 million re- and other Lake States (l5,66). In Wisconsin quired in 1925-29, a period of general there was the rural zoning program which prosperity; most of this difference was due was a forerunner of land classification, to reduced exports. Measured in terms of and a necessary foundation for the land the amount of reduction necessary to absorb utilization program. This work helped ini- accumulated carryovers quickly, and to tiate needed-action. restore a price parity in the early 19301s, cropland harvested in 1930-32 was esti- Studies of Land Classification and Values mated to greatly exceed normal require- ments, possibly by as much as 50 to 60 In addition to the growing recognition of million acres. In 1932, 361 million acres the existence of submarginal land and rural of cropland were harvested. In 1933, largely slums, there were 2 significant attacks on as a result of crop-acreage-control pro- the problem of land values. One was a study grams, the acreage of crops had dropped of sales prices as a basis for farmland 30 million, to 331 million acres. appraisal undertaken in 1922 (60). The For use in planning land purchase and other was a study of the relatior- of income crop-acreage- control programs, the Land to land value (3).These 2 studies were Planning Committee of the National Re- useful in understanding land valuation, pro- sources Board projected acreage needs of ductivity, and related economic questions crops harvested in the future for domestic in the 1920's and 1930's. Significant work consumption and exports as follows (146): in land classification, types of farming, and land utilization analysis was done in the year Million acres Northern Great Plains Region by M. L. Wilson and associates, Montana State Agri- cultural College (171). Many settlers in the western Great Plains lacked the background and experience to judge the adaptability of land for crop farming or to follow the dryfarming prac- State and Local Land Use Surveys tices that would work most efficiently in the semiarid regions. In a 1923 study of Another type of research consisted of land use and settlement on 550 farms of intensive qualitative local surveys to analyze the Triangle area, north-central Montana and appraise problems associated with (a),persons classified as farmers on poor-quality farmland. Examples are the 58 farm homesteads in a typical township economic studies in regional, State, and listed some unusual former occupations. local areas made by the Division of Land There were 2 deep sea divers, 6 musicians, Economics, Bureau of Agricultural Eco- 2 butchers, 2 milliners, 2 draymen, 2 nomics, in cooperation with various States. wrestlers, 2 blacksmiths, 2 schoolteachers, Among the important early studies were 2 physicians, and 1 bartender. those by John D. Black, University of An outstanding study of 6 communities Minnesota; George S. Wehrwein, University in selected counties of different regions of Wisconsin; Gladwin T. Young, Purdue was made in 1940 and 1941. Results were University; and David Weeks, University of published as separate bulletins in 1942 and California. 1943 under the general titles of "Con- There were also the early studies of land temporary Culture of Rural Communities.'' utilization and settlement by the Division The study included counties representative of Land Economics, Bureau of Agricultural of the lower Piedmont of Georgia and Economics. These studies had animportant western Kansas, both of which had de- part in laying the foundation for improved veloped great agricultural instability (12, land use by some 30 or more State, re- 169). Land utilization projects were later gional, and local land utilization, settle- established in each of these areas. ment, and land acquisition projects from 1919 to 1939. More men were influential and helpful in the development of the pro- gram than can be named in a limited Research as a Part of Project Planning space. and Development The problems created by land sales and development of poorly adapted cutover The project formation phase of the land farms received early attention in Minnesota utilization program was carried out with the help of continuing studies of specific land Station, 1932- 34, in classifying and mapping use problems and the means for their solu- land use, soils, slope, erosion, and other tion. Research in land utilization during this physical and economic factors marked one period became less academic and of greater of the beginning stages in land capability practical use and importance. This changed classification. The forest land inventories emphasis brought the researchers face to made in 1932-34 by A. R. Spillers, JV. E. face with both opportunities and perils, as is Bond, and others of the Forest Service apparent from a review of the many publi- under the leadership of I. F. Eldridge like- cations on land classification, economic wise aided in the refinement of timber re- area analysis, rural development, and land sources surveys, then in the initial stages use planning that resulted (z,118). in the southern States. In all, some 500 or more such studies Other examples of research basic to the were made in the period 1933-42. Many program were the studies of the Lake land classification and other economic States cutover region, in cooperation with studies made by the Bureau of Agricultural the universities and agricultural experi- Economics, the Resettlement Administra- ment stations of Michigan, Minnesota, and tion, and other Federal and State agencies Wisconsin; and various investigations in served as a basis for developing detailed Indiana, Missouri, the Great Plains (includ- plans and proposals for projects. An ex- ing Montana), California, and other western ample is the land use survey conducted by States. Among the projects resulting from the Bureau of Agricultural Economics, the prior research were those in New York, Bureau of Chemistry and Soils, and the New England, Georgia, Minnesota, Michigan, Forest Service in cooperation with the Wisconsin, Indiana, South Dakota, Kansas, Georgia Agricultural Experiment Station Montana, and New York. This list is only in 1932-34 (67). Data and maps assembled partial, becausecomplete records of project in this survey were basic to the selection planning and selection for all States are not and planning of 6 land utilization projects available. in Georgia in the years 1934- 38--Piedmont, A few States had started buying poor, Northeast Georgia, Coastal Flatwoods, unused, and abandoned farmland and con- Lakeland Flatwoods, North Central Georgia, verting it to forest, recreation, wildlife, Limestone Valleys, and Uplands. In addi- and conservation uses. Other States had tion, data from this survey were used in the projects for setting aside State-owned land planning and development of 4 recreational for parks, wildlife refuges, and forests. and park projects in Georgia. Among these States were New York, Indiana, Land classifications and forest maps Ohio, Pennsylvania, California, Michigan, were made on the basis of field work for and Wisconsin. 4 counties in Georgia (Jasper, Jones, Madi- The emphasis in the program onimprov- son, and Putnam), and for sample blocks ing the general pattern of land use and of and strips in other counties. Methods de- life in rural areas required determination veloped were used in the extension of such of where and how the pattern might be im- work to other areas. Soil-survey maps and proved. Here again, preliminary research air photographs were available for part of was required for the better orientation of the 4-county area, and were used as a base later, more intensive land use adjustment for recording field observations. work. Land use surveys, made with the The procedures developed by Glen L. cooperation of local committees and offi- Fuller, W. T. Fullilove, A. H. Hasty, and cials, aided in the selection of suitable other associates of the Bureauof Chemistry land areas for land purchase projects and and Soils and the Georgia Experiment in plans for development and use.
EXTENT AND COST OF LAND ACQUISITION AND PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
Land Acquisition Slightly over 2.6 million acres were ac- quired directly under Title 111 of the Bank- Acreage acquired under the land utiliza- head-Jones Farm Tenant Act at a cost of tion program from 1933 to 1946 totaled $1 1.1 million, and nearly 8.7 million acres 11,299,000 acres (table 4). This included under preceding authority at a cost of about over 37,000 individual properties. $36.4 million (table 5). Total cost, exclusive TMU 4.--:Iun~ter 3f 3cres ;ind percentages of land The policy of acquiring land by vol~.ltar~ acquire;, fiscal years !935-46 sale was continued throughout the program. Friendly condemnations and court actions Fiscal year' Percentage of total were required to clear only a limited num- ber of land titles, and were not used as a means of forcing owners to sell. 1,000 acres Percent
3.2 1~2.2 Project Development 33.1 21.8 5.8 Land improvement and development 13.0 included general land treatment, structural 7.3 2.4 improvements, provision of transportation 1.1 facilities, control of erosion, flood control, 0.1 water storage, and development for forestry, recreation, and wildlife. Buildings and
I fences were removed; old roads no-longer needed were blocked up; new roads were Total ..... ' 11,295 100. il built where needed; suitable areas were ' There was nearly always a lag between the year seeded to grass or planted in trees; forest that land was optioned and the year it was pllrchased stands were improved and protected from and the case closed. Reporting time differed in 1942 fire; gullies were stopped; terraces, stock and 1943 from that in other years. Limited to land fsr which title clearance was ponds, and dams were built; and stream completed and the case closed. channels were widened and cleaned. (See ' Acreages acquired by Federal, State, and other appendix C.) All of this work required agencies, with related information on their use and much labor and equipment. rndnagement, are shown in appendix A, which explains Virtually all of the development work differences in number and size of projects that was accomplished with labor from the appeared in various annual reports on the land pro- gry, 1934-63. vicinity of each project; a large number Less than 0.1 percent. of workers were furnished by the Works Progress Administration. Many of the Sources: A~lualReports of the Chief, Soil Conser- workers had to be trained as they worked. vation Service, 1935-46. As these men acquired skills, many were able to find private employment (130,153, of public domain and of appraising, nego- 156). Employment was provided in the first tiating, and title clearance, was $47.5 few years for 50,000 or more workers on million, or an average of about $4.40 per relief, and for 13,000 men whose farms acre for the land purchased. had been purchased. By June 1939, $67 Land value accounted for over three- million had been spent from relief allot- fourths of the cost and, as was to be ex- ments for land improvement and develop- pected, was the largest single cost item in ment, plus about $5 million from public each region of the country. Value of im- works funds. provements accounted for less than one- Additional development costs, up to the fifth of the cost, and merchantable timber time of transfer of all remaining projects and minerals for the remainder, or about to regular Federal and State public land 5 percent. Average cost per acre was high- management agencies in 1954, are estimated est in the Upper Mississippi Valley and to have been approximately $30 million, lowest in the Pacific Northwest. making a total development cost of $102.5 The total acreage included about 480,000 million. With the purchase cost of $47.5 acres of public domain land, which was million, this brought the total cost to $150 transferred to projects for the purpose million, or about $13.50 per acre. of blocking in their areas. These transfers Field, regional, and Washington staffs were not included in calculating the average were employed to carry on all phases of cost per acre for the total area acquired. the program, and considerable sums were Between 1943 and 1946, 148,000 acres paid for office rental, transportation and were acquired. This land had been optioned travel, equipment, supplies, salaries, and before 1943, but final acquisition was de- other items. These administrative costs of layed by title clearance problems and other the agencies guiding the program could not factors. be allocated among the various activities. TABLE 5.--Acreages and cost of land acquired under the land utilization program, 1935-46
Number of Total cost Acreage Type of program cases or of land acquired tracts purchased
1 Nmber 1 1,000 acres 1,000 dollars Original or emergency program 1935-37 ...... 27,199 8,676 36,382 New or Title I11 program 1938-46 ...... 10,147 2,623 11,075
Total 1935-46...... 37,346 11,299 47,457
Final reports on land acquisition under the land utilization programs in 1946 show that the total acreage acquired was 11,298,537 acres. The average cost per acre for the total acreage acquired to 1946, excluding 480,000 acres of public-domain land transferred to land utilization projects, was about $4.40 per acre.
Sources: (156)and mimeographed reports of the Soil Conservation Service as follows: Status of Title Clearance Under the '0ld"Land Utilization Program, Dec. 31, 1942. Soil Conservation Service, Jan. 15, 1943. (Mi~neographed.) Status of Title Clearance Under Title I11 Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act, Feb. 28, 1943. Land Acq. Div., Soil Conservation Service, Mar. 4, 1943; and Reports of June 30, and Oct . 23, 1943. (Mimeographed. j An Analysis of the Land Acquisition Program Under Title I11 of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act. Soil Conservation Service M. P. 26, Aug. 1942 (172); and Type, Use, Pre- vious Ownership and Tenure Status of Land Acquired Under Title I11 of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act, Apr . 1942. (Mimeographed. ) TABLE 6.--Location of' land acquired, by general geographic regions, 1934-16 The portion allocable to the land utiliza- Acreage Percentage tion program could not be precisely deter- of total mined, and is not all included in the totals given here. 1 LO00 acres ?ercent Costs of land development and of shifts Yorthern...... in use of land may be considered to be Southern...... limited to a few items, or may encompass Southwest...... many direct and indirect outlays in addition Northern plains2...... Central Mountain ...... to the actual development of the land, de- Pacific...... 613 5.4 pending upon the purpose for which costs are determined. Expenditures incident to Total...... 11,299 100.0 retiring and developing submarginal land, '~orthernRegion: Northeastern, Corn Belt, and relocating families, administration, super- Lake States. vision, and maintenance are costs not Southern Reeion: Appalachian, Southeastern, and Delta States. formally accounted for. Southwest and Southern Plains: Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Norzhern Plains: North and South Dakota, Location of Projects Nebra-ka, Kansas, Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado. The largest acreages of submarginal Central Mountain Region: Idaho, Nevada, and lands acquired were in the Northern Plains, Utah. Pacific Region: California, Oregon, and Wash- Southwest, and Southern Regions (table 6). ington. These regions contained the largest areas '~ostof the land acquired in the Northern Plains was east of the RocQ Mountains in the dryland of poor or submarginal cropland. Fifty plains portions of Colorado, Kansas, Montana, percent of the acreage acquired was in the Nebraska, North and South Dakota, and Wyoming. Northern Plains. The Southern Region Note: Tables in Appendix A group acreages by the ranked next with almost 20 percent, and 10 farm production regions instead of the 6 geo- the Southwest with about 15 percent. Aver- graphic regions. By using the State acreages in the age acreage per tract in the Southwest appendix tables; totals for the geographic regions may be readily assembled. was over 650 acres, more than double pasture and rangeland, and 2.7 million the average for the entire country. Two acres in forest land. Much of the cropland large tracts in New Mexico (originally was idle, or practically so, especially in Spanish land grants), one containing 86,205 the Southeastern States. and the other 49,940 acres, contributed At the beginning of World War 11, several substantially to the large average size per large areas were transferred to defense I tract in the Southwest. Average acreage agencies for military training and other 1 per tract in the Northern Region was less related purposes. Most of this land was than half the 300-acre average for all later returned to the management of the regions. civilian agencies. I The primary uses of the project land in I 1961 are estimated to have been: Grazing Use of Project Land (including Indian range), 7 million acres; forest, 2.5 million acres; and special uses, lI Agricultural land use adjustment proj- such as parks and wildlife areas, 1.8 mil- I ects made up roughly 9.5 million acres lion acres. Many recreational and wildlife i of the 11.3 million acres acquired by the areas are forested, but are in a reserved I Federal Government under the land utiliza- status and not used for commercial timber 1 tion program. The remaining 1.8 million production. The large areas used primarily I acres were used for wildlife areas, parks, for grazing and commercial forests have recreational areas, and Indian land proj- many improved recreational sites set aside ects (161).It is estimated that at the time within them. Wild game preserves areused of purchase 2.5 million acres of this land extensively for seasonal hunting, fishing, ~ were in cropland, 6.1 million acres in and other uses. I
RELOCATION OF FAMILIES RESIDING ON LANDS ACQUIRED~ Of the 24,148 families initially residing on or resettlement homesteads createdfor this land purchased for the land utilization pro- purpose. The other families received help in gram, 87 percent were relocated by January the form of loans, relief grants, and advisory 1, 1942 (1.Three-fourths of these families service ingetting reestablished on landmore relocated without Government assistance. A suitable for farming than that from which more 'striking fact is that only 9 percent of they moved. The situation is summarizedin those relocated were resettled on the farms the following tabulation: Old program, prior to Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act: Total number initially residing on projects...... 15,634 Total number relocated...... 13,719 By own efforts...... 10,497 By resettlement on farms or resettlement homesteads ...... 1,237 With loan or rehabilitation grant only. .... 993 Other aid and guidance ...... 992 Toremain ...... 597 Life leases ...... 134 Permanent maintenance personnel...... 230 Substitute occupancy privileges...... 33 Other...... 200 To be relocated ...... 1,3 18 By own efforts...... 372 By resettlement on farms or resettlement homesteads ...... 32 With rehabilitation loan or grant only. .... 73 By transfer to other agencies...... 29
7~hissection on relocation of families, and those on relation of the program to local governments (p. 23) and appraisal of the program (p. 35) are in part from an unpublished manuscript, "Federal Rural Land Acquisition in the United States, 1930-42," by Margaret R. Purcell, Agricultural Economist, Bureau of Agricultural Eco- nomics, Dec. 1945. With guidance or other aid...... 74 Aid not yet determined ...... 738 New program, after Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act: Total number of families initially residing on 151 projects ...... 8,514 Total number relocated...... 7,296 By own efforts...... 5,608 By resettlement on farms or resettlement homesteads ...... 574 With rehabilitation loan or grant only. .... 585 By transfer to other agencies...... 261 With Farm Security Administration guidance only ...... 189 With other aid ...... 79 Number to remain ...... 275 With life leases ...... 36 As permanent maintenance personnel. .... 171 With substitute occupancy pr!$ege...... 11 Other...... 1...... 57 2 To be relocated ...... 943 Data from mimeographed annual reports no longer readily available in libraries and files. Compensation and assistance for persons (husband, wife, and children), of which the affected by real property acquisition has head was over 21 and under 50 years of age, remained a continuous problem in agricul- with farming experience. The family had tural and other programs. The 88th Con- to give evidence of resourcefulness and gress, 2nd Session, made a new study of ability to enter into community life, and this problem in 1964, the results of which give reasonable assurance of meeting the are summarized in Committee Print No. costs of resettlement. Of the 147 families 3 1, House of Representatives Committee in the central Wisconsin purchase area, on Public Works. only 58 met the conditions. Farmers eligible for part-time subsistence farms were re- quired to have the same general qualifica- Relocationunder the Resettlement tions as those for full-time farms except Administration that the head could be as old as 55. Eighteen Many factors were responsible for the families met these qualifications. Aged small proportion of families who moved people unable to provide for themselves, to government-sponsored resettlement and old-age and public reLicf cases perma- farms or homesteads. A number of families nently in need of aid were eligible for from submarginal land purchase areas used retirement homesteads. Nine families their payments from the sale of land to buy qualified. This left 85 families who were farms or homes elsewhere, and required no not qualified to remain in the project area. Government assistance in relocating. Some any that could otherwise meit all re- others, in areas where alternatives to farm- quirements for full-time farms or sub- ing were available, as in the New England sis tence homesteads had family heads above and Middle Atlantic States, found jobs in the age limit of 50 years. Others who needed urban areas. And throughout the country, retirement homesteads were not eligible some elderly people retired from farming (68,-- 69). altogether when bought out, and went to Similar situations in other parts of the live in town or with relatives elsewhere. Lake States, especially in the isolated But Federal land purchase was a slow settlements of the cutover areas (94,z), process, with final closing of the sale and in the South, and in the Great Plains sug- payment frequently long delayed. Many of gest that resettlement qualifications may the displaced families were not assisted have been too high. While resettlement because of delay in completing the resettle- projects at the outset ,were planned to ment farm projects, and because of strict assist families moving from submarginal rules for selection of families. land, objectives of the program became In Wisconsin, for example, eligibility for much broader as time went on. The large a full-time commercial farm in a resettie- numbers of eligible applicants competing ment project was limited to normal families for relatively few resettlement units led project managements to be selective, per- tion of farmers whose land had been zoned as haps to the detriment of former occupants unsuitable for farming had been going for- of submarginal land. ward before initiation of the Federal land Many resettlement projects in the Ap- program. The submarginal and resettlement palachian States were established primarily programs thus were desirable supplements to care for special groups stranded in rural to the State programs for blocking in publicly areas by the closing of depleted mine and owned areas, and helping scattered settlers forest industries. However, large areas of to relocate. land purchased under the land utilization It should be stressed that alarge propor- program had not been used primarily for tion of the families on the lands being bought farming, and their purchase for forest and for land utilization projects had wholly in- recreational purposes displaced relatively adequate incomes. The average gross cash few farmers. Also, many of those whowere income of these families in 1934 was only displaced had been squatters during the de- about $300, including an average of $72 ob- pression years, and thus were not eligible tained from relief and other outside pay- for resettlement farms. Others could not ments. Forty-seven percent of the families qualify because of age or physical condition. were on relief. The land utilization program Although the greatest acreage of submar- was essentially a humanitarian program, ginal land acquired was inthe Plains States, since one of its aims was to help families to only 15 percent of all families whose land make transition from a hopelessly unfavor- was bought resided there. Of these families, able environment to one offering promise only 5 percent were relocated on resettle- of a more adequate livelihood. ment farms. Some 73 percent relocated by their own efforts, and the rest received Relocation Under the Bankhead-Jones some Government assistance. As the land Farm Tenant Act utilization program did not get underway in the Plains until 1934, after drought anddust In 1937, the farm tenant purchase pro- had already disrupted much of the region's gram was established under the FarmSecu- economy, it is likely that many of those re- rity Administration to handle settlement and locating by their own efforts moved out of farm tenant purchase programs authorized the Plains area entirely. Considerationwas by the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act. given to the establishment of subsistence This was a type of resettlement program, homestead communities in the Mississippi providing individual tenant farmers and Delta specifically for victims of the Dust farmers displaced by Government land ac- Bowl. Large acreages of Delta land were quisition programs with supervised credit purchased for resettlement purposes, but for buying and developing farms. Rural re- the resettlement of Great Plains farmers settlement and subsistence homesteadproi- was not attempted on this land, although a ects already begun were also assignedto the few did move to the Delta area. Farm Security Administration for comple- In other instances, farm operators who tion and management. For several years, had lived for years in the same neighbor- especially from 1937 to 1941, assistance was hood did not wish to break their old asso- given to families from submarginal land ciations and move to new communities, or projects who were seeking to relocate on to take up a different type of farming.Some farms. of these farmers made arrangements to Since usually a year or more elapsedbe- remain near their former farms, occa- tween Government purchase of submarginal sionally becoming workers on land use land and the relocation of families, the num- projects, or moving to nearby towns. ber of families relocatedby January 1942, as Approximately 30 percent of the 58 fami- shown inthe tabulationonpp. 20-21, indicates lies bought out in California, Arizona, and satisfactory progress. However, nearly all Utah were moved to resettlement farms or data describe resettlement projects accord- homesteads. Alternative opportunities were ing to function, such as rural resettlement, apparently available for thbse not assisted stranded group, etc. It is difficult to pick out by the Federal Government. the data applying only to those people who It was in the 3 Lake States that the greatest came from submarginal land, especially in proportion of families resettled on Federal the earlier years (134, 138, 142). projects after selling their submarginal land The Farm Security Administration pro- to the Government. This is explainedpartly vided advice and such financial assistance as by the fact that rural zoningprograms were budget and eligibility restriction allowed to already in operation inthese States. Reloca- families displaced by the purchase program c arried out by the Soil Conservation Service with the displacement of a minimum number under Title 111 of the Bankhead- Jones Farm of families from the project area (jg, 156). Tenant Act. In this project and other projects in Georgia, In the Northern Plains, the Farm Security a number of families whose land was bought Administration provided a full-time, experi- were permitted to retain title or lifetime enced specialist to assist families in finding rights to the improvements, such as build- suitable new locations. In Greene County, ings and fences, and a small amount of land Ga., the Farm Security Administration and for subsistence purposes, thereby elimi- the Soil Conservation Service cooperated nating their need for relocation. in working out an adjustment in the pattern 4 study made by the Bureau of Agricul- of land use and occupancy. The Farm Secu- tural Economics indicated that families dis- rity Administration purchased land in the placed by this phase of the land purchase project area that was suitable for continued program in the Southeast were as well or farming, and the Soil Conservation Service better off then before (134). A. survey purchased the land that was unsuitable for in the Northeast led to similar conclusions cultivation. Adjustment was accomplished (42).
RELATION OF LAND UTILIZATION PROGRAM TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
As a result of the purchase of land and were clearly greater, the reality of the dis - the resettlement in other areas of many of advantages, though often intangible and the people living on the purchased land, therefore difficult to measure, should not be many institutional adjustments were re- ignored. It should be remembered that most quired. The easiest of these adjustments of the problems of this period could be traced to identify were those in local government to the depletion of land resources. This fact financing. Information on that phase is made changes inevitable. The role of the available from records, reports, and publi- Government in the land utilization program cations. was to make these changes orderly and as In areas where road and school services productive as possible, causing the least dis- were costly because of sparse ruralpopula- advantage to individuals who had to move tion, and where during the thirties the prop- from their land and homes. erty tax was diminishing because of tax delinquency and reversion to public owner- ship, Federal acquisition of land took away still more of the taxbase. Offsetting factors Examples of the Impact of Land Purchase were the scaling downof total costs of public on Local Farming and Government services in purchase areas and improved in- comes of persons remaining in the area. Some of the social changes brought about In addition to these measurable and well- by the land utilization program are illus- recognized influences of submarginal land trated by the land use shifts which took purchase and the attendant resettlement, place in the Great Plains States, where there were many intangible values involved. drought and dust storms in the 1930's had Long-established relationships of families aggravated longstanding land use practices to particular tracts of land were altered and where the greatest acreage was acquired and entire communities were sometimes under the Federal land program. In western disrupted. While most of these changes were North and South Dakota, the Federal pur- voluntary and clearly had beneficial effects, chase of several hundred thousand acres there was considerable personal loss and of land resulted in the retirement to grass social cost in the uprooting of families and of cash-crop land that was no longer suit- their movement to new and oftenunfamiliar able for cultivation, and in a general shift places where different historical back- from cash-crop farming to a combination grounds prevailed, and where the social of livestock and feed-crop farming. The patterns were sometimes difficult to be- Government-purchased land was made come used to. New methods of farming available to ranchers through cooperative sometimes had to be learned, both by those grazing associations, making it possible who moved and those who remained. These for the operators remaining in the area to disadvantages must be weighed against the enlarge their units to a point where more advantages in appraising the program, and adequate levels of living could be main- while the advantages in most instances tained.
2 3 I An idea of the magnitude of the land shifts long had severe financial problems. The involved and of the social adjustments re- average taxes annually collected in the I quired can be obtained from research work count; from 1926 to 1934 on lands pur- of Hansen, Haggerty, and Voelker in Billings chased amount to but $24,500. Approxi- County, N. Dak.,in 1939 (63). The cornmi%'- mately 30 percent of each annual levy after sioners from this Coui-ity proposed that the 1929 became delinquent. Upon Federalpur- Federal Government purchase certain chase, a total of $95,000 in delinquenttaxes countv-owned land and tax delinauent land was paid. in order to block in areas already in Fed- Population changes after purchase af- eral ownership. The need for development fected many school districts, decreasing of areas of sufficient size for effective costs in some, and increasing the burden grazing and livestock operations was ap- in others. Consolidation of all districts in parent from the facts that the population Phillips County into a county unit system of the County had declined 20 percent since was recommended, in order to equalize 1930, and that taxable values had declined school burdens and facilitate improvement 66 percent since 1930. Tax delinquency had of schools. Closing of some schools threw also grown, until in 1939 it was nearly 50 an additional burden on those left open, but percent of the total levy. by closing 8 schools in 7 districts, it was At the time the above-mentioned research estimated that annual school costs would was undertaken, the Federal Government be reduced by approximately $5,000. already had under option nearly 150,000 Approximately 849,000 acres of public acres of land, and although the taxing units domain land were included in grazing dis- would collect delinquent taxes at the time of tricts in the Milk River Project Area, in completion of purchase, permanent with- addition to the land purchased. In 1939, it drawal of this land from the tax rolls made was estimated that the total grazing land it desirable that local governments be re- in the project would yield about $33,000 (at organized to meet the conditions which $0.20 per forage acre), compared with would follow. annual tax returns on purchased land of As a result of the research into land use $24,500. adjustments and resulting county fiscal Experience in the Morton County land prbblerns, it was recommended that the use adjustment area in southwesternKansas Federal Government purchase 65,000 addi- was similar. There the Government pur- tional acres to round out the Billings County chased 107,000 acres of farmland for re- adjustrhent area and to make possible ad- turn to grazing, its original use. The pur- justments in size and use of operating units, chased area represented 20 percent of the and that the County lease such tax-delinquent total taxable land of the county, and 9 per- land as was not acquired by Federal pur- cent of the taxable valuation of $4,653,000. chase onlong-term leases, thereby assiring Valuation of land purchased was $41 5,000. a flow of revenue to meet local government Of the 5 townships involved, 4 had their tax needs. Following these recommendations, bases reduced by 2 to 14 percent. Forty additional land was purchased and steps percent of the acreage purchased lay in taken for improved management and leasing Jones township where purchases amounted of Billings County, N. Dak., land. to 65 percent of the taxable acreage, and In the case of the Milk River Project in 50 percent of the tax base. Revenue losses Valley, Phillips, and Blaine Counties, Mont., in 1936 to local governments as a result some 953,000 acres of low-grade farmland of purchase were estimated at about $7,000. and grassland were purchased and 672 iso- But these losses were more than offset by lated residents resettled on 3 irrigation reduction in cost of public services (160). projects within the purchase areas.Altera- The annual sums received, even after the tions of this magnitude naturally led to many years of development, were regarded by local problems which required collective many local governments as inadequate. One action (62).In Phillips County, the purchase suggested plan for adjusting the matter ona of 301,500 acres led to a loss of taxable uniform basis to the satisfaction of local value of $375,628, or 7.5 percent of the units was a flat-rate annual contribution of county tax base. The importance of this loss 0.5 to 1 percent on the acquisition price is emphasized by the fact that the reduction of the land as a minimum guarantee (121, in the taxable value of 14 school districts -122). ranged from 10 to 50 percent. While the A study of the adequacy of payments on problems growing out of Government pur- purchased lands to local units of govern- chase cannot be minimized. this County had ment was made by the Federal Real Estate Board in 1940. Efforts were made to esti- some adjustments had been made in local mate more accurately the effects of land government to reflect changes resulting purchase on the ability of local govern- from the land utilization program, more ments to supply needed services and to pay were needed. Studies made it possible to off indebtedness. outline these needed adjustments, to ap- Purchase of land did not always bring praise the effects of the program on local reductions in costs of county government. government units and services, and to pro- Projects were not coterminous with county vide a basis for discussion with county boundaries, areas were not completely officials of further steps that would be blocked in, and some residents were allowed desirable. Needed adjustments, however, to remain in project areas. Only a few were matters of State and local action; attempts were made to reorganize local they were outside the scope of Federal governmental districts to take advantage authority. of possible savings. In the case of certain grazing projects, the few remaining resident operators in the area continued to cause Federal Payments to Local Governments high per capita public costs. The record of high tax delinquency on land purchased may be accounted for in Section 33 of Title I11 of the Bankhead- part by the fact that serious depression Jones Farm Tenant Act provided that, for and drought had reduced incomes in many all land that the Federal Government pur- areas before the program was started. Thus, chased for public purposes under this pro- some underestimation as to tax revenue gram, it must pay annually to the county over a more normal period of years may in which the land was located 25 percent have been made in justifying the program. of the revenues received for its use for The requests for more adequate reimburse- support of roads and schools. ment of tax loss in the years of recovery Since much of the farmland purchased were significant. under this program was submarginal, reve- As a result of land purchase there was nues were small in the first few years an extensive consolidation of school dis - after purchase, while the land was being tricts. The number decreased approxi- developed for other uses. Recreation areas mately 50 percent in certain instances. in the 1930's rarely returned significant The number of schools in operation in the cash profits. Income from many poorly Great Plains decreased throughout areas stocked forest areas did not start accruing where land was purchased, although not for some years after improvement had as rapidly as school enrollment decreased. placed them on a sustained-yield basis. Many miles of roads were officially closed, Land in grazing projects was more readily and maintenance was discontinued on many prepared for leasing, and regular returns more. were obtained fairly soon. Moreover, when Experience from 1935 to 1940 showed land was developed for grazing purposes, that adjustments involving local govern- not only was there some revenue available ment and finance were needed to accom- for sharing with local governments, but pany changes in land use or occupancy. also the taxable value of ranchers' property Field studies during 1940 showed thatwhile in the area usually increased.
MANAGEMENT AND USE OF THE LAND UTILIZATION PROJECTS
Relationship of Land Management and partment of Agriculture for administration Transfers or custodianship were approximately 8.8 million acres as of January 2, 1954. Ap- From 1936 to 1953, 2.5 million acres of proximately 1.3 to 1.8 million acres were the 11.3 million acres acquired under the managed under long-term agreements with land utilization program were transferred, State and other agencies, leaving 7 to 7.5 chiefly to other Federal agencies outside million acres managed from 1938 to 1953 of the Department of Agriculture, including directly by Department of Agriculture the National Park Service, Bureau of Indian agencies. Affairs, and Fish and Wildlife Service. An additional 3.3 million acres were Assigned for management within the De- transferred, granted, exchanged, or sold from January 2, 1954, to May 15, 1961, custodial responsibility and the United leaving 5.5 million acres assigned to the States retained title to the land. Department of Agriculture, with the major For the 12 years 1942 to 1953, revenue part going to the Forest Service. A large from land utilization project land averaged part of the acreage transferred was as- $918,852 per year (table 8). Lumber produc- signed to the Bureau of Land Management tion averaged 28 million board feet per year. and other agencies in the Department of the An average of nearly 1,579,000 animal-unit Interior. Sizable acreages, however, were months of grazing a year was provided local transferred or granted to State agencies. stockmen and ranchers. The major sources Limited acreages were exchanged for other of public income were from sales of forest land and small acreages sold to public products, grazing fees, and mineral royal- agencies and private parties under special ties. rules or authorizations for such actions During the war years 1941-45, the land (table 7). utilization projects made significant con- tributions to needed production. During 1944, over 6.1 million acres were used for Management by the Soil Conservation grazing, furnishing 1.6 million animal-unit Service, 1938-53 months of grazing. Around 22 millionboard feet of timber products were harvested in The Soil Conservation Service managed 1944 to help fill the tremendous war needs. from 7 to 7.5 million acres of land utiliza- This represented a 10-percent increase tion project land for 15 years--1938-53 over the previous years. (table 8). The acreage varied somewhat In 1945, the War and Navy Departments from year to year as land was transferred used nearly 300,000 acres of land utiliza- between Federal and State agencies. tion land for training camps, ordnance .By the end of 1940, most of the initial depots, and bomb, gunnery, rocket,and rifle acquisition and development work had been ranges. More than 33 million board feet completed on all projects started before of timber products were harvested from passage of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant land utilization lands in 1945, and land in Act. These projects had reached the stage agricultural land use adjustment projects at which the problems had shifted from the supplied nearly 1.7 million animal-unit developmental to the managerial field. months of grazing. Seven thousand farmers Projects managed by the Soil Conserva- and ranchers made use of the land each tion Service from 1938 to 1953 under au- year during World War 11. thority of the Bankhead- Jones Farm Tenant Timber harvested in 1946 totaled more Act were used mainly for grazing, forests, than 32 million board feet of all types. Nearly hay, recreation, wildlife, and watershedand 2 million acres were classed as commercial water supply protection. During the period forest, including both federally and State after World War 11, especially, additional administered projects. Collections in 1946 improvement and development work was were $728,341. This was an increase of carried out over large areas, including nearly one-third over 1945, due to higher building stock-water ponds, reservoirs, fire returns per acre. towers, and erosion control works; seeding In 1946, over 4 million acres of project grasslands; planting trees and forest thin- land in Montana, North and South Dakota, ning; and construction of fire-control lanes Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas and access roads. A big job of rehabilitation were managed cooperatively by grazing was done from 1946 to 1953 (figs. 8, 9, and associations. Grazing associations were 10). organized in the late 1930's in Montana, During these years many bare, idle areas Wyoming, and North Dakota. Soil conserva- were planted to grass and trees. Grassland tion districts began operations about 1940. and grazing yields increased with seeding Their purpose was to assist in planning and grassland improvement. Sustained and carrying out county and district agri- forest yields also increased as time passed cultural conservation and land use pro- and growth progressed under a management uerams. and protection program. The districts were organized by farmers Much of the land was managed by local and ranchers and are managed by them grazing associations and soil conservation through elected boards of directors and districts and other State agencies under supervisors. The grazing associations, like- long- term agreements, but the Soil Con- wise, were organized and operated under servation Service had administrative and State laws to plan for group management Tf3LE 7.--Summary of acquisition, disposal, and administration of land utilization project land by U.S. Department of Agriculture, by periods, 1935 to 1961
Administered in Acreage for which Transferred the Department period1 titles were outside Department of of Agriculture obtained in the at the end period Agriculture of period
Million acres Million acres Ellion acres
1935-38 ...... 7.9 1.'7 6.2 1939-46 ...... 3.4 .3 9.3 1947-53...... 0 .5 8.8 1954-61 ...... 0 3.3 5.5
Total (1961) ......
Periods are from July 1 to June 30, except for 1947 to 1953 when the period ends Dec. 31, 1953, and for 1954 to 1961, when the period begins Jan. 2, 1954 and ends May 15, 1961. Omits approximately 350,000 acres for which options were accepted but for which titles were not obtained, or acquisition of which had not been completed at the time of transfer. Includes approximately 500,000 acres transferred prior to authority given by Title 111 of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act in July 1937, and 1,200,000 acres trans- ferred after July 1937. Sources: Agricultural Adjustment Administration, Land Policy Section; Resettlement Administration; and Bureau of Agricultural Economics: Annual and other reports, 1933 to 1938. Soil Conservation Service, Annual Reports of the Chief and other reports, 1938 to 1953. Forest Service: Annual Reports of the Chief and other reports, 1954 to 1961. House of Representatives, 84th Cong., 1st Sess., Rpt. No. 1296, July 20, 1955. TBLL 8.--Agr1cultur~lland. uzillzatlon progrm of the Soil Conservation Servize ,mder ;itle I11 of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act: Use ad income cf lands managed, by years, 19L2-1953
Total Grazing 1 Use for Lumber Recreation Total area crops producticn managed Acreage Amount rmenue
Animal- mit mcnths3 Acres
:,229,t88 3.5, q44 1,417,591 38,557 1,553,33C 3 6,726 1,ti4,3'3 50,388 1, €72,963 29,26L 1, hRO,565 42,981 1,172,434 L 5,130 1, 706,803 15,603 1,608, t9G 3S, OL15 1,698,572 3C, 133 l,75l,'45 25,157 1,757,272 36,345 Average 1 7,i56,733 1,578, o10 3S,024
Nearly i,C percent was in hay. 19L;-L?, tctal colleci~ons; 194E-53, tctal collections less re:'unds during calender gear. Inclades some revenue from sources not shovm nere, sach aa building occupa~cy, sales of imprmements, ninerals, and ease- r:!eIi;s. . , 1 .xntllts itrazlnq -,enln-t 2n range by 1 niat;re cm qr steer, or 5 sheep.
+ l'j&-5j av=ragc. SCS Ark-61-487 A B H In addition to direct public income and use of land for State and Federal purposes, the public and local people benefited from thc income of workers and opcrators who bought timbcr on the stump and processed it for market, the income of fsimers and stockmen who used large acreages for grazing, and the employment oi mineral and oil workers and operators who worked leases. The workmcn employed in improve- ment, maintenance, and management of the property also bencfited, as did those who used thc areas for recreation, hunting, and fishing. Annually, there were about 579,000 days spent by people in recreational activitics on the land utilization areas. By the end of 1953, the land resources had in- creased in value because of the improve- ments, growth of timber, development of recreation facilities, gains in wildlife, and better and more plentiful water supplies.
Management by the Forest Service, 1954-63
As of January 2, 1954, a totalof 6,847,000 acres in land utiliza'iion projects had been assigned by the Secretary of Agriculture to the Forest Service. This included 6,953,000 acres assigned on this date from the Soil Conservation Service, 1,062,000 acrcs carlicr assigned from the Soil Conserva- tion Service and predecessor managing agencies, and 827,000 acrcs under Forest SCS Ga-LU 23-24 Service custodianship that were being msn- Fiwre 9.--Thinning inferior trees for pulpwood on a aged by State agencies under long-term land udlization project in Genrgia. The remaining leasc or sales contracts (tdblc 9). met$ grow faster, and the pulpwood crop tarns About 1,460,000 acrcs have been incorpo- l~ico~ne. rated into 28 National Forests, and 16 1,000 additional acres are managed by the Forest Service pending disposal or permanent and use of intermingled blocks of public assignment. In addition, 19 National Grass- and private grazing land. Permits and lands, comprising about 3,604,000 acres, leases were obtained on public land and have been established by Secmtarial order arrangements madc for cooperative use of for permanent retention and management private range in the district. Directors as part of the National Forest System. were elected and supervisors and tech- i'iith the exception of 161,000 acrcs, the rest nicians employcd or assigned for planning of the assigned acreage was transferred to and management. Project managers and other Federal and State agencies for ad- grazing associations worked together to ministration, except for srwll acreages allot grazing permits and to improve the exchanged in order to block in areas, and range. limited acreages sold under special condi- The work on Title I11 lands was of con- tions as provided by law. siderable productivc value; educational The Forest Service has continued and value also was significant. Farmers and expanded the improvement of project lands ranchers, after observing the results of con- in their custody. Surveys havt: been made servation practices on Government land, of the land, water, forest, range, wildlife, more read~ly applied the practices on and rccreztional resources in ordcr to keep similar land used by them. abreast of changes in these resources, SCS LU-NC-4-17 Figure 10.--A byear-old stand of loblolly pine on Singlccary Lakc Game Sanctuary, N.C. Thc road scrves as both fireguard And vehicle trail. changes in the need for their use in terms practices, timber growth has been large, of markets and Incomes, and increase$ Cn resulting in a greater volume of merchant- local and regional rural and urban popula- able timber. Income has generally it+,- tion. cooperaiive arrangements with grazing creased, even thougiiacreagcs under Forest associations and conservation districts for Service management have declined because management of land, installation of meas- of transfers to other agencies and uses. ares for ravegctation and maintenance .of range,- and reforestation and protectioa of forest areas are active. Special attention has been given to recreational needs by Four new Xational Forests were formed creation and development of campsites, from 6 of the 40 land utilization projects picnic areas, and reservoir fa'cilities for assigned to the Forest S~rvice--theTus- boating and swimming in sections previ- kegcc in Alabama, the Oconee in Georgia, ously lacking these amenities. Wildlife and the Tombigbee in Mississippi, and the game management also have been improved St. Francis in Arkansas. The remaining 34 to meet demands for hunting and preserva- or morc projects were added to 24 existirig tion of wildlife. forc!sts. The larger t acreages incorwratad Total income from land utilization proj- into National Forests were in the southern ects transferred to the Forest Service States, from Virginia to Arkansas ahd ranged from 51,610,410 in 1955 to $2,290,775 Louisiana . in 1956 (table 10). The average income. for The National Forests serve many uses thc 5 years 1955-59 was $1,953,429. The and many people. Multiple use is a skrdard receipts, in order of size, were from pollc); and practice. Not only do the Natlonal crazing permits, mineral leases, and sale Forcsts produce timber, but, in addition, of forpst products. Rcntal of hay lands, they provide grazing for livestock and places sale of yrass seed, and recreation permits for wildlife to grow, and afford hunters at brought in srnzJlc r amounts representing State-prescrlbrd seasons the use of publicly about 5 percent of the cash receipts. owned open space for hunting. Use for lncreased sales of timber, more mineral recreation is in ~rcatdemand, especially lcases, and irnprovcd grassland3 have for camp and picnlc sltes and for fishlng, brought an upward trend in income. As a hiking, skiing, studylng nature,and anjoylng result of 30 years of good management beautiful scenery. TABLE 9.--Status of land utilization projects transferred to the Forest Service, or placed under its custody, as of June 30, 1964
Item Acreage
1,000 Assignment to the Forest Service: acres
Transferred to the Forest Service prior to 1/2/54 ...... 1,062 Transferred to the Forest Service on 1/2/54...... 6,958 Placed under the Forest Service custody ...... 1 827 Total assigned to the Forest Service ......
Retained for permanent administration 3y the Forest Service: National Forests...... 1,460 National Grasslands ......
Balance (for disposal or permanent assignment) ......
Total under administration of the Forest Service......
Disposals to other agencies and parties: Transferred to the Bureau of Land Management ...... Transferred to other Federal azencies ...... Granted to State, county,and city agencies ...... Sold to State, county,and city agencies ...... Exchanged for lands within National Forests or research areas ...... Placed in trust for Pueblo Indians ...... Reconveyances and sales to former owners and other private parties ......
Total disposals...... ( 3,422 1 Source: Forest Service. I National Grasslands areas, were purchased and the ~ccupants resettled, and slowly over the years the Range management of project land has range was restored to better, moreproduc- been improved by the establishment of tive use. Lessons were being learned from National Grasslands, which are somewhat the hard experience of attempting to farm similar to National Forests (139). The unsuitable rangeland and then attempting Kational Grasslands consist of 24 former to shift it back to grassland range. land utilization projects, where the Federal The highest purpose of the National Government, the States, and the local people Grasslands is to serve as demonstration are cooperating to rebuild rangeland on the areas to show how lands classified as ruins of drought- stricken and misused land. unsuitable for cultivation may be converted The 19 National Grasslands are situated to grass for the benefit of both land and in 11 western States-- 17 in the Great people in the areas. Under careful manage- Plains, and one each in Idaho and Oregon. ment, they are being developed for greater The land utilization projects now in Na- sustained yields of grass, water, wildlife, tional Grasslands began as part of the De- and trees; they also partment of Agriculture's emergency re- outdoor recreation. habilitation programs in the 1930's. lands are important Submarginal farms and depleted range- system of the Forest Service dedicated t lands, resulting from homesteading and tested and approved settlement of small farm units in semiarid tion and land use (5, 141). 'r43LZ 10.--Federal income from larld utilization projects managed by the Forest Ser~ice,fiscal years 1955-59
Incocie by sources
Tot a1 Timber & Haying, income forest Mineral cropping, Ttecrention Other leases sale of I products I
Acres Dollars Dollars Dollars Dollars Dollars 1 - I- 806,967 309,295 374,261 65,7U 823,118 455,815 799,787 50,444 684,lC2 215, I20 737,461 38,063 697,315 574,E25 9 17,654 59,347 734,640 346,955 747,579 25,379
-- I In 1957, about 6.5 mlllion acres were grazed by more than 30C,000 head of livestock owned by almost >,000 permittees. About 5 mllllon acres were under grazing agreements (10 years or less) with livestock grazing associations, sol1 conservation districts, and other local agencies. In 1958, more than 2 milllon acres of land utilization land were transferred to the Department of the Intzrior for use In program of the Bureau of Land Management. The acreage for 1958 is as of December 31. Most of the acreages for other years are as of June 30. Slnce 1960, when the land utllizatlon land retained by the Department of Agricblture was incorporated into Natlonal Forests and National Grasslands, income and expenses for the former projects are not kept separate, except where they are complete units such as ranger districts, but instead the accounts are kept with the units of which they now are a part.
Source: Reports of the Chief of the Forest Service for years specified.
Use of the National Grasslands for grazing of water improvements, and fencing of units more than 165,000 cattle and 47,000 sheep for management. This allows the harvesting annually must of necessity be integrated of such forage for domestic livestock as is with the use of intermingled and nearby consistent with the long-term program land (140). By agreement, the local people, of management. who coxrol the other lands and who, for the Over 300,000 visits are made annually most. part, are also users of the Govern- to the National Grasslands for hunting, ment land, have accepteda large measure of fishing, camping, picnicking and other responsibility in managing livestock on many recreation. Visits to the areas are usually of the areas. The local users frequently are short, and facilities needed to accommodate organized into grazing associations to ac- the public are mostly confined to picnic complish many of the conservation objec- areas and campsites near hunting and tives In the National Grasslands and asso- fishing. Outdoor recreation will increase ciated areas of private and public land. as the public becomes aware that the grass- Of the 3.8 million acres in the National lands are open to extensive public use. Grasslands, grazing on 2.7 million acres is Small areas of the National Grasslands managed under cooperative agreements with support some tree growth of a woodland type grazing associations, and 1.1 million acres and where these areas occur they generally directly by the Forest Service. Permits are have high esthetic recreational and wildlife issued by the Forest Service either to local values. Consistent with these values, some grazing associations, which in turn dis- wood products needed in the local com- tribute grazing privileges among members munities are produced. according to terms of the agreements, or The National Grasslands furnish food, directly to individual ranchers who meet cover, and water for a wide variety of wild- simple criteria as to eligibility in areas life and fish. An estimated 27,000 antelope not covered by grazing associations. Fees and 19,000 deer live all or a portion of the are paid on the basis of each animal-unit year on the areas. Bighorn sheep have been month of grazing ~ermitted.~This coopera- returned. Here also are found quail, prairie tive approach has resulted in good progress chickens, sharp-tail grouse, pheasants, wild on both public and associated private lands turkey, and other game and song birds. in the revegetation of the land, installation The proper management and use of the National Grasslands is a part of the big '~nanimal-unit month is 1 mmth's grazing tenure job of conserving and improving the Na- upon range by 1 cow or steer, or 5 sheep. tion's water resources and keeping soil in place. Generally, grasslands are located were analyzed in reports by the Bureau of in areas of unstable soil and deficient Agricultural Economics in 1937 and 1940, rainfall. A good vegetative cover must be near the dates of acquisition. These re- retained to keep runoff at a minimum, re- ports show the problems of intermingled duce wind and water erosion, and enhance private and public land holdings, and the the water storage capacity of the land. hazards of farming scattered tracts in a Grassland programs under cooperative dryland area (61, 93). grazing agreements with grazing associa- The land utilization land (or land acquired tions have been strengthened since 1960. under Title I11 of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Most agreements with grazing associations Tenant Act) is subject to the provisions for have been continued, or renewed, withlittle use and management which will best serve change. It has been the policy not to change the conservation and land utilization pro- procedures for management that have been gram. The land is used under grazing- - used successfully for many years. Local permits by stockmen. The grazing regula- stockmen who are eligible can apply for tions and fees conform to the general permits to graze suitable areas on a long-- policies and procedures established for term basis, provided they pay the customary land utilization project land. Actual fees grazing fees and assist in proper use and vary from area to area. As with all land maintenance of the land. acquired under Title I11 of the Bankhead- In 1963, Secretary's (of Agriculture) Jones Farm Tenant Act, 25 percent of the Regulation of June 20, 1960, designating revenue received from grazing and other the land utilization grazing lands as Na- uses is paid to the counties in which the tional Grasslands, to be part of theNational land is located for road and school pur- Forest System for administration under poses. the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act, was Transfer of land utilization project land amended, among other things: (1) To re- by lease, sale, or homestead is not author- affirm the promotion of grassland agri- ized; however, exchanges of land and grant- culture and sustained- yield management ing of easements and rights-of-way in the of all land and water resources intheareas public interest are permissible. The au- of which the Grasslands are a part; (2) to thority for disposals of land utilization stress the demonstration of sound and project land of any type is limited to appli- practical principles of land use; and (3) to cation in the particular case (158). provide that management of the Federal land At the time of acquisition of the land in the exerts a favorable-influence over associated Milk River, Mont., land utilization project other public and private lands .9 in 1937-38, it was within Federal grazing districts set up under the Taylor Grazing Act of 1934 (61, 93, m).The project com- Management by the Bureau of Land prised 15 percent of the acreage in the Milk Management River District, compared with 27 percent in public domain land. In the Musselshell Some 18 land utilization projects, con- and Lower Yellowstone projects the per- taining 2,464,000 acres, were transferred to centage was even higher--22 and 34 per- the Bureau of Land Management, Depart- cent of the land area. A memorandum of ment of the Interior, and are managed and understanding between the Departments of used primarily for grazing along with public Agriculture and the Interior was made for domain land in Federal grazing districts. administration of these lands, October 1, More than 1.9 million acres are in Montana. 1936, including the provision that they be This acreage was acquired in 7 land utiliza- grazed in common with other public lands tion projects, of which the largest were in the Federal grazing districts.1° Milk River, with 953,000 acres, the Lower Yellowstone, with 392,000 acres, and the Musselshell, with 268,000 acres. Most of this land was transferred from the Forest Management of Indian Projects Service to the Bureau of Land Manage- ment by Executive Order Number 10787, More than 1 million acres of range and November 6, 1958. Two Montana proj- other land which,were purchased for use of ects, Milk River and Buffalo Creek, Lliscussed exchange uf letters between thc Secre- 925 Federal Register 1960, page 5845; and 28 taries of Agriculture and the Interior, Kovember 1, Federal Register 1963, page 6268: 213.1. 1937, December 10, 1937, and February 2, 1938. Indian farmers and stockmen in increasing means of achieving better use of problem livestock production and incomes, were areas. assigned to the custodianship of the Bureau Management varies greatly depending of Indian Affairs. These projects were set upon the need, public interest, and avail- up to aid 30 or more tribal groups, and were able funds for management and develop- widely scattered. For instance, there were ment. Many areas are used by large num- projects at Pine Ridge, S. Dak..; Fort Peck, bers of people for recreation, camping, Mont.; White Earth, Minn.; Seminole, Fla.; hunting, fishing, and educational activities and Cherokee, Okla. such as study of forestry, wildlife, and Since these projects were establishedfor natural features by students and young agricultural prodiction, the land acquired people's groups. Other land is used for was generally at least equal in quality to demonstration areas and experimental plots contiguous land. Most of the land was suit- in connection with agricultural education able for gainful use for grazing, hay and and research. Some areas are now reaching other feed crops, or forestry. the point where, through management and development, they have sizable incomes, or are self-supporting from sale of forest Management by State and Local Agencies and other products, and from users' fees and sale of licenses. Use of State parks and Some 80 of the land utilization projects, forests is especially heavy in the Eastern totaling 1.3 million acres, were transferred and Central Regions near centers of popula- to State and local agencies. About 75 per- tion where outdoor recreation areas gen- cent of this acreage was granted or sold erally are small and scarce. to the agencies by the Forest Service Among the notable examples of State- during 1954-61 (table 11). managed projects in the East and Central Nearly all the areas are managed for Regions are Bladen Lakes State Forest, multiple uses, but the 4 most important N.C.; Clemson School Forest, S.C.; Poinsett uses are for parks, forests, and wild- and Cheraw State Parks, S.C.; Rock Eagle life refuges, and for experiment stations State Park, Ga.; Hard Labor Creek State to study and demonstrate ways and Park, Ga.; Warm Springs State Park, Ga.; Yellowwood State Forest, Ind.; Zaleski TABLE 11.--Grants and sales of land utili- State Forest, Ohio; Tar Hollow State Forest, zation project land to State and local Ohio; French Creek State Park, Pa.; Catoctin agencies, 1954-19611 State Park, Md.; and Lake of the Ozarks State Park, Mo. Region Grants Sales Total
1,000 1,000 1,000 acres acres acres Plans for Long-Range Use and Management Northeast...... 149 0 149 In 1954-55, studies and hearings on pro- Lake States...... , 79 14 93 posals for use and management of land Corn Belt...... 53 0 53 utilization project land revealed that there Northern Plains ..... 3 0 3 had been occasional public misunderstand- ing of the advantages and disadvantages Appalachian ...... 192 14 205 that might be involved in disposing of the Southeast...... 294 1l4 409 land already in use for special purposes, Delta States...... 10 46 56 especially where large tracts were involved. Southern Plains ..... 23 0 23 Study of the proposals indicated that dis- Mountain ...... 3 0 3 position of this land should be the result of Pacific...... ------an objective evaluation of the individual projects and of how they could best serve Total, 48 States the needs of the regions, communities, and people of the areas in which they were Record of disposition of land utiliza- located (L6). tion project land to May 15, 1961, which Several public hearings were held and a was transferred to the Forest Service Jan. number of congressional bills were con- 2, 1954. Prior to Jan. 2, 1954, approxi- sidered. After study of the situation andthe mately 300,000 acres were transferred to need for the land utilization project areas State arid local agencies, making a total of for forests, grassland, recreation, and about l,3OO,OOO acres. wildlife, and for conservation of land and water, the general decision was that the managed and used under authority of the land should continue to be held under Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act of 1937 Federal and State ownership, and to be as amended. This policy has been foilowed.
APPRAISAL OF THE LAND UTILIZATION PROGRAM
A notable accomplishment of the land sources in the purchase areas and adjacent utilization program was that for the first to them so people could have better oppor- time it demonstrated to the public the poten- tunities for adequate incomes. As the sur- tialities of a definite agricultural land policy rounding farmers and ranchers observed for poor farmland, whose use was un- the land use practices on the projects, economic in the common types of field crops improved practices and better management and with the usual forms of cultivation and spread beyond the borders of the projects. management. Poor land and poor people de- The land utilization lands today serve their pendent on farming were at a point where a regions well in land use planning, adjust- program was needed to preserve land re- ments to better land use, establishment sources and to rehabilitate the people on that of conservation practices, provision of land. It was evident that submarginal land permanent sources of income, and furnish- could not provide adequate family incomes. ing of recreational areas in regions for- Some plan was needed for the future, and merly without them. some action vital for the present. The land utilization program experience As developed, the program helped many may be important in the future. Through destitute families get off relief rolls; it trial and error, pitfalls to be avoided were provided much work for them on develop- discovered and procedures were workedout ment and construction projects, or re- which should smooth the way for future pro- settled them on more productive land. It grams, both through reduction in costs and helped some local governments to reduce avoidance of delays. That the program failed their debt load by payment of delinquent fully to accomplish all its objectives is also taxes. Later, many farmers and ranchers true, although failure was a matter of de- were helped with grazing permits. Sawmill gree in many instances, and often had the and pulpwood mill operators were able to positive effect of teaching lessons for the buy and process timber from the projects. future. People were provided with opport&ities The land retirement program was in- for hunting, fishing, and other forms of augurated during the greatest depression recreation. in the history of our country, a depression The land utilization program demon- which had severely disrupted our national strated that public purchase could be used economy. People were willing to grasp at to remove large areas of rural land of low anything that gave them promise of getting productivity from submarginal uses; that the economy back to normal. In the 19301s, such land could be converted to beneficial drought, dust storms, floods, and insects public uses; that residents could move from also struck at the hearts of aericultural- land of questionable productivity to land regions. Under such circumstances, it was of better productivity; and that poverty- fortunate that a workable program could stricken people who moved could be suc- be put into operation on a national scale. cessfully aided in gaining more adequate Under intense pressures to expand oper- incomes and better homes. ations to maximize the relief of distress, It was also found that time must be the land program quickly outgrew its orig- allowed to work out needed adjustments, inal demonstrational character. As Howard and that immediate results should not be Tolley, then Chief of the Bureau of Agri- expected from an adjustment program. The cultural Economics, wrote on December 3, conclusion that time and effort must be 1945, in a letter to L. C. Gray, "The sub- allowed for adjustment is a point that must marginal land program marked a turning be emphasized. It could not be assumed point in agricultural policy relative to that, merely because there were too many needed adjustments in use of agricultural farmers with too many acres in crops, these land and planning for the future." farmers could shift quickly to jobs or other The land utilization program was ad- locations with little effort or cost. ministered by 5 different Federal agencies An additional accomplishment of the land in the first 4 years of its existence, 1934- utilization projects was to build land re- 37. The frequent transfer of administration, and the provisions for joint planning and Some large holdings were bought on recommendations by several agencies, con- which occupants and agricultural operations tributed to delays and uncertainties in the were few, but which could be turned into essential plans and necessary actions to recreation areas, public forests, etc., be- be taken (70).However, the transfer of cause of the availability of labor, although many key personnel along with the program their full development for recreational tended to minimize the problems caused use was premature in the 1930's. Also, by shifts of responsibility between agen- the program was used to some extent as cies. The achievements of the program in a means for other public agencies to ac- these early years were significant despite quire unfarmed land for their own special the frequent changes in organization, shifts purposes. in plans, and ups and downs in budgets. As the program proceeded, attempts Previous experience in large-scale Fed- were made to answer the questions: What eral acquisition of submarginal farms and is submarginal land? How can submarginal resettlement of the occupants was limited. land be identified? A thoughtful analysis In their struggle to get started, the agencies by John D. Black (16)began by posing the at times made mistakes, and lost the con- question of whether there is such a thing fidence of the people concerned. Enough as "unproductive land," or "submarginal people with adequate training and experience land," since it is hard to find land which in the work were not always available. On- does not yield some kind of product. Dr. the-job study and training were necessary. Black concluded that if net losses result The work was not always well organized, from farming, the land is nearly always and title clearance proved a stumbling being misused. Much so-called submarginal block, as it took much time and specialized land is land that is submarginally used; personnel. Although it improved with ex- for example, by being planted to corn, perience, procedure in many instances cotton, or wheat, when it is not well suited was slow and cumbersome (&).ll to these crops but is better adapted to The chief handicaps in the efficient admin- grass or trees. istration of the program were (1) the slow Questions were asked about the effect of legal processes involved in title clearance, the land retirement program on farmland often to the frustration of the personor fam- values and farm incomes in the areas where ily ostensibly to be benefited; and (2) the land purchases were made. Definite and trans'fer of the program from one adminis- final answers to these questions could not trative agency to another, with consequent be made. The influences that agricultural confusion as to aims and methods. To these programs exert on land values and incomes 2 handicaps, but mainly as a corollary of the are very complex, and cannot be explained second, should be added the diversion of readily in simple terms, especially when funds available for the program and the use making a long-term projection. of program personnel for activities only Since the 19301s, new crop varieties, remotely related to the program itself. different land preparation and cultivation In some cases, allocated funds were with- practices, more timely operations with drawn for relief needs, making it necessary mechanization, and better control of plant to cancel options on land, to discontinue diseases and insects have made it possible projects, and to discharge personnel. In to farm some former marginal land with several project areas this caused much greater success than in earlier years. disappointment and led to public criticism. Although the Federal Government shared Because of stringent budget and legal the income from the land with counties, restrictions on the purchase of submarginal transfer of private land to the Government farmland, questions sometimes arose as to was looked on as a loss by local govern- whether the projects contributed to the ments when they realized that they could public works and relief program from which not collect taxes or sell tax-reverted land they were financed and at the same time in Government projects. Contradictions in met the other land utilization program ob- local situations were often amazing, how- jectives. The problem of a workable defini- ever. Local units earnestly sought land con- tion of submarginal land applicable to all servation and other Federal projects involv- regions was never fully resolved. ing the purchase of real property, usually with full knowledge of their exempt status. ll~itleclearance was greatly facilitated as time Yet they protested the tax loss and often went on and more experience was gained with the wanted reimbursement for both tax 10s s and various procedures of land acquisition. any extra public service costs incurred. Because of scattered holdings in some or National Grassland, or some other projects, the Government at times had title special purpose is involved. to land that blocked areas served by local Programs designed to acquire land oc- governments, but local governments could cupied by low-income or isolated families not discontinue services to areas under for the purpose of helping the families their jurisdictions. In some cases where improve their level of living, and of con- local governments had little part in planning verting the land to a less-intensive type the projects, or were not fully informed, of agriculture or to nonagricultural us~es, they questioned Government purchase and need to be accompanied by complementary tax immunity even though their status may activities. The success of the land utiliza- have been improved by removal of poor tion program depended largely upon the lands from their jurisdiction. extent to which it was supplemented by Purchase of land in local governmental other programs, including State and county units did not bring reduction in costs of zoning to reserve land for the usefor which government in all instances since the proj- it was best adapted and programs to assist ects did not always follow boundaries of in the relocation and employment of dis- local units, some isolated settlers were placed families. Thus, a threefold coopera- allowed to remain, and few attempts were tive program is necessary, embracing made to reorganize local government serv- public purchase and conversion of strategic ices to reflect the change in land use and areas of submarginal farmlands to uses to population--a field in which the Federal which they are best adapted and needed, Government has no authority. Thus, it is State and county zoning of lands against probable that the savings to local govern- occupancy for uses for which they are ments attributed to the land program have physically and economically unsuited, and been overemphasized in some instances. assistance to displaced families in re- Federal acquisition programs always pose locating and obtaining employment. the question of payments in lieu of taxes. Experience from 1934 to 1964 shows that Experience with the land program from generally the agricultural land utilization the 1930's to the 1960's indicates that this adjustment projects have served as good question has not yet been fully settled to demonstrations of what can be done in the satisfaction of State and local govern- shifting submarginal farm areas to more ments. extensive agricultural uses such as forestry, Experience with the land program indi- pasture, and range, and to needed public cated that simple procedures, readily areas for wildlife and recreation. Durine- understood and administered, and not this 30-year period much private farm re- changed frequently, contributed to the effi- organization has occurred, with purchase ciency of work and on the whole brought and lease of the land necessary for farm the best response from the public and enlargement. Credit programs and pro- from the workers on the projects. In gen- grams for land and water development, eral, the greater the degree of uniformity improvement, and conservation have like- and simplicity in administration of public wise assisted in bringing about desirable purchase and control of public land use shifts in land use. In some Great Plains within a State, the greater the ease with range areas of private land interspersed which the necessary work can be carried with public land, the entire areas have out and the objectives of the program been brought under better use and manage- achieved. ment by means of long-term agreements A major question involving submarginal or by allowing all land to be used by co- farm areas was the extent to which public operative conservation and grazing asso- purchase could be effectively used to bring ciations. The use of both State and Federal about desirable large-scale adjustments. land was made available to these associa- Students of this subject have pointed out tions under cooperative agreements pro- that public acquisition must be supplemented viding for good practices of range manage- by cooperative programs between Federal, ment under a program supervised and State, and local agencies if good results controlled by Federal and State Govern- are to be achieved. It has been questioned ments. whether it is desirable for the Federal A number of these agreements have ex- Government to undertake extensive pur- pired, and have been renewed with similar chase of submarginal farms in large blocks, policy arrangements. Grants and sales have unless establishment of a National Park, been made to States for manyof the smaller National Wildlife Refuge, National Forest, forest, recreation, and wildlife areas. The bulk of the acreage in the larger projects Clear distinction should be made be- has been added to nearby National Forests tween relief measures taken in a tempo- and Federal Grazing Districts, or has rary emergency, and measures takenas part been used in establishment of new National of a permanent National program. If this Forests and National Grasslands. Prac- distinction is made, land and pro- tices, procedures, and land management grams from the outset can better serve a organizations for the land utilization areas useful purpose. cited have been revised as new conditions John D. Black (16), in 1945, wrote "...the and needs arose. program that gets-nearest to dealing with The purchase of so large an acreage-- this problem is the land utilization pro- 5.6 million acres--of submarginal farm- gram . . . This is the program for buying land in the Great Plains was justified rundown tracts of land, rehabilitating and largely because of the widespread misuse reorganizing them into economic units, of the land, resulting in rural poverty and and then leasing them back into private inadequate farm units, and the urgent need ownership (or groups of operators). Ap- for increasing opportunities for employ- parently, this program is conceived at ment and income in such communities. present (1945), like the Wisconsin and Here especially, the demonstrational value New York programs, mainly as a program of the land utilization projects was shown. for taking land out of regular farm use By exhibiting proper land use to surround- and getting it into special uses, such as ing farmers and ranchers and to the public timber, grazing or meadow. Where shift generally, the improved practices and better of land, largely from one major use class management spread beyond the borders of to another, is needed- -and situations of this the projects. Although the success of the sort are not hard to find--such procedures program as an educational process has are indicated." never been fully measured, many people A land retirement program should be in the Great Plains and elsewhere have paralleled by a program for finding farm stated that they gained from observation jobs. A retirement program cannot solve of and experience with the results of the the land problem when occupants lack land utilization program. better opportunities elsewhere. The largest The major group action alternatives to areas of poor land are those in need of public purchase of submarginal farm areas reforestation, regrassing, conservation in the Great Plains in the 1930's were practices, or drainage--all costly oper- cooperative grazing associations to lease ations which require workers. It is not and manage large blocks of land as com- inconceivable that Federal programs could munity-type pastures, adoption of land use be developed to reclaim poor land areas ordinances by soil conservation districts, and furnish employment should it be needed. rural zoning, block leasing of rangelands But whatever means are taken to develop by individual ranchers, graduated taxation income opportunities for families in poor in accordance with use and capability of land areas, these people should have a part the land, and county control or manage- in the program, and should wholeheartedly ment of land unsuitable for cultivation. It ap- accept the plan. The more responsibility pears that no one of these means alone would local people assume from the beginning, have been entirely satisfactory. They were the more likely are they to cooperatelater. most effective when used in combination. Another lesson learned at some cost is As was observed in land utilization proj- that with the exception of cases calling for ect areas in the 1930's by one writer, rural immediate evacuation, families should be zoning followed by relocation will help withdrawn from an area gradually and over make both more successful (E).Perhaps an extended period. This procedure will in time, Federal purchase as the most ef- result in less disruption to people, local fective way of correcting abuses can be governments, and social institutions. In the replaced to some extent by moderate public end, it may even prove that all the land educational and administrative aids for in an area need not be purchased. By guiding land use, land and water develop- purchasing demonstration areas and using ment, and private settlement, and for super- them for public purposes, the key to sound vising credit and handling tax-delinquent land use over a wide area may be provided lands (as for example, under the Fulmer (156). The successful cooperation of the AC~).'~ Soil Conservation Service and the Farm Security Administration in carrying out 12Public Law No. 395, 74th Cong., ZndSess., 1936. such a program in some of the Georgia projects has beendescribed on pages 22 and training, and to alleviation of poverty. In 23. order to meet their living expenses, farmers The land utilization program of the 1930's on submarginal land in many areas had was rural development in action. In numer- concentrated on cash crops of cotton, wheat, ous areas of the country it assisted in corn, and tobacco, had cut over their wood- conservation and improvement of the land lands, or had overgrazed their range. Sub- and water resources, and in protecting the marginal land prevented them on the one health, safety, and welfare of the people. hand from practicing stable types of farming, Its methods of achieving better land use while on the other hand it forced them to and conservation were directed primarily exploitative use of land, water, trees, and at economic improvement, the physical grass. development of land and water being a major The results of experience with the land means of bringing more jobs, larger in- utilization program of the 1930's may pro- comes, and social advantages. vide useful guides for future policies and In almost every area where land utiliza- programs dealing with land use adjustment, tion projects were located they led to an conservation, rural development, and alle- increase in work opportunities, to job viation of rural poverty. II. EXAMPLES OF LAND UTILIZATION PROJECTS
The scope, objectives, and results of the case by itself, because of the wide dif- land utilization program of the 1930's may ference in land use problems in the various be illustrated by 12 widely different types regions of the country. However, enough of projects. Each of the 12 projects served similarities existed to make studies of ex- somewhat different purposes, according to periences of individual agricultural projects the land use and related problems of the useful in understanding the program and region where it was located. its results. Case studies of 3 of the agricultural Nine other projects are cited briefly to demonstration projects are given in detail show the great variety of land use problems, to illustrate the selection of purchase the chief types of projects authorized, and areas; their composition; how they were some of the results of the program. acquired, developed, and managed; and The original names of the 12 projects, their disposition, use, and accomplish- and their present status, are given below: ments. Nearly every project was a special
Original land utilization projects, Federal and State projects formed from 1934-39 - land utilization projects Projects now assigned to Federal use: Piedmont and North Central Oconee National Forest and Hitchiti Ex- Georgia (Ga.-3 and 22) perimental Forest Station1 Perkins-Corson (S. Dak.-21) Grand River National Grassland Badlands Fall River (S. Dak.-1) Buffalo Gap National Grassland Milk River (Mont.-2) Milk River Federal Grazing District Morton County (Kans.-21) Cimarron National Grassland
Projects now assigned to State use: French Creek (Pa.-7) French Creek State Park Bean Blossom (1nd.-4) Yellowwood State Forest Beltrami (Minn.-3) Beltrami State Wildlife Management Area Bladen Lakes (N.C.-4) Bladen Lakes State Forest Clemson (S.C.-3) Clemson College Forest Sandhills (N.C.-3) Sandhills State Wildlife Management Area New York Land (X.Y.-4) New York State Forest
'For details of 1960 use, see tabulation on p. 43.
OCONEE NATIONAL FOREST AND ADJACENT WILDLIFE REFUGES, EXPERIMENT STATIONS, AND PARKS
Examples of the agricultural land utiliza- later were formed the Oconee National tion projects in the Southeastern States are Forest, Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge, the 2 Piedmont projects, situated less than National and State pasture and forest ex- 75 miles southeast of Atlanta and justnorth periment stations, and State and local parks of Macon. Figure 11 gives the location of and recreational areas. Here the purchase the Plantation Piedmont Project (CA-3) and and development of the land in hundreds of other Georgia projects established by 1935. paor, eroded, partly idle cotton farms was The Plantation Piedmont Project was one carried out to show how such land could be of the first projects to be undertaken under restored and converted to more productive the land utilization program. The other uses for benefit of the occupants and all Piedmont project, North Central Georgia people of the region. (CA-22), was started in adjacent Creene The Old Cotton Belt in the 19301s, of County in 1937-38. From these projects which the Piedmont projects were a part, ravages of erosion caused by a century of continuous row-crop farming. In 1934, when the projects were under- taken, an estimated 90 percent of the land in the project areas had been in cultivation at some time in the past 100 years. Thou- sands of acres were once cleared at great labor and put under cultivation for crops. Many thousands of acres were involved in the rotation from forest to fields, then back to woods, and perhaps on to a second or a third clearing. Much of the land, while originally fer- tile, was not well adapted to continuous row-crop farming because of moderate to steep slopes and erosion. The land required either conservation practices in cultivation or long natural restoration periods in pasture and forest. Acreages of cropland harvested in the counties where the purchase projects were located was at a peak from 1910 to 1920, but dropped more than 50 percent by 1930, more than 80 percent by 1960. Much of the big decline from 1920 to 1930 was because of the severe losses in cotton production resulting from the heavy infestation of the cotton boll weevil. Erosion damage to the land also had taken a heavy toll in fertility and in suitability of land for cultivation. Insect and erosion damages in the 1920's combined with the economic losses be- was and still is a region of shifting needs cause of the depression in the 1930's dis- and uses for farmland. Changes in demand couraged farmers from the continued out- for agricultural products, together with lays required for cotton farming. Failure competition from new lands of the Missis- to meet expenses for 2 to 3 years left sippi River Delta and the newly developed many farmers, merchants, and bankers in irrigated projects of the West, contributed the area broke or on the margin of bank- to the shift of land from cotton, first to ruptcy. temporary idleness, then after a few years Pasture acreages increased during these to forest as tree seeds scattered and had years, along with dairying and beef cattle time to grow. Growth of population beyond production:~Pasture acreages, however, the capacity of the land to support it from were relatively small, and occupied only agriculture alone led to migration from the a minor part of the cropland left out of farm to jobs in nearby cities and to other cultivation. By far the greater part of the States. uncultivated cropland acreage after a few The Piedmont projects were in the Brier years of weed, brier, and broomsedge Patch Country, made famous by Joel growth returned rather quickly to volunteer Chandler Harris. When, 3 generations ago, forest. A similar pattern of change in use Harris wrote the stories told him by Uncle of cropland occurred in some 30 other Remus about the adventures of Br'er Rabbit Lower Piedmont Georgia counties. and Br'er Fox, and other fabled occupants of the fields and woodlands of the Brier Patch Country of the Lower Piedmont, it Land Use Plans in the 1930's already was a fading example of the old cotton farm system. Farms were becoming The Piedmont land utilization projects smaller because of divisions among more were initiated as the result of detailed people dependent upon the land, and less surveys which were made from 1932 to productive because of depletion of soil and 1934 by men from the Georgia Agricultural Ex~erilncntStation, thc Burrau of Qsicul- funds and changes In the purchase program tural Economics, the Durclau of Chemistry held thc acreage actually acquired to 144,000 and Soils, and the Forest S~TV~CC.The re- acres. This land was developed as planned. sults ni these surveys were published, in Several hundred workers, some of them part, as res aarch studies (67). Of particu- former occupant5 of the land purchased, lar ink~restwas a land classificaticrnmapof and somc of them from nearby farms and the 4 counties of the project area [fl~.12). small towns, were employed for 3 or more The oricinal plans, made in cooperation years in development work. nxith the people of the area, caIled for pur- Natural restocking of forest arcas In chase and development of dcmonstration pine trees was aided by manaztd pract~ccs forests, psstur~rt, wlldlifr: refuges, and and firc protectmn mtasurcr, and supple- recreatmnal areas, tabling 150,000 acres rnent~dby planting trees on open idle land. of marginal to subrn~rginalcotton farm- In th~smanner, many thousands of acrvs oi Land. The plans includhd provisions for badly eroded, rundovm, hilly farmlandwere resettl~mentand employmcnk of families soon wcll stockcd with rapidly growing occupying the land purchased. Shortage of trees. By iVorld 'il'ar 11, 10 pars later, the natural forests were bcginninz to supply much-needed lumber, poles, and pulpwood from sus tained-yield cuttings.
Use of Project Resources in the 19GO's After 30 ycars, the public forests are successful commercial operations. Not only do they return a cash income to manage- ment agencies, timber operators, and work- men, but even more important, they serve as visible dcrnonstrations of good forest mana~ernentin a region where millions of acres of privately owned, unneeded, eroded former cotton farms have reverted to forest. These public forests are warchcd closcly by farmers and owners and operators of forest land to learn the best ..r2ays of forest management. Some nf the most productive fnrcst lands in the region are marked by old furrows, as abandoned fields usually have better soil, art easier to prepare and plant to trees, and 3re more accessible thah wood- lands in general. From the 2 Piedmont land utilization projects, 6 land use areas were formed. and fea- PIEDMONT LAND Thr? demonstrational recreational UTILIZATION PROJECT tures of all 6 areas arc well drveloped and widely used. While each unit has been set apart for a primary public porposc, all have varied multiple uses, including forest, wildlifc, pasture, recreation, watershed protection, conservation demonstration, and Figure 12 education. I Listed below are the major use areas Central Georgia Land Utilization Projects formed from the Piedmont and North (GA-3 and GA-22):
Maior Use Assignments. 1961 Administering Agency
Oconee National Forest Forest Service Uncle Remus Ranger District (GA-3) 1, Redlands Ranger District (GA-22)
Total Oconee National Forest
Hitchiti Experimental Forest (GA-3)
Total, Forest Service
Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge (GA-3) Fish & Wildlife Serv. Georgia State Experiment Station (Pasture & Forest) (GA-3) Ga. State Expt. Sta. Rock Eagle State Park & 4-H Club camp Ga. State Park Serv. & and center (GA-3) State University Jones County Recreational Area (GA-3) County Board of Commissioners
Total (GA-3) Total (GA-22)
Grand total
From administering agency records and reports, 1961.
Income and Expenditures for personal and contract services, sup- plies, and materials used for mainte.nance, protection of the area, and improvements Timber Sales such as access roads and development of recreational areas. Timber sales from the Oconee National The lease under which the project was Forest for the 9 years 1955-63 averaged operated by the soil conservation districts 12,963 thousand feet board measure, and expired at the end of 196 1. Beginning with were valued at $354,064. Timber sales in- 1962, the land has been managed directly clude sales of pulpwood, fuel wood, and by the National Forest Supervisor for poles, as well as lumber. All timber sales Georgia, according to regulations govern- have been converted to thousand feet board measure for the sake of summarizing total ing the administration of National Forests. According to the a u d i to r ' s report, volume and value. $298,639.38 was expended in 1961 from accumulated receipts from sale of project The Uncle Remus Ranger District products from the land, for improvement of the land in the Uncle Remus Ranger As an illustration of the income from District. The improvements included con- project lands, a summary of receipts and struction of 19.7 miles of road to serve the disbursements is presented here for the commercial forest areas at a cost of Uncle Iiemus Ranger District of the Oconee $172,261.07, development of 2 new recrea- National Forest. The 1960 auditor's report tion areas, Hillsboro Lake and Sinclair showed receipts of $388,294, of which Lake Kecrea tion Areas, at a cost of $360,904 was from the sale of forest prod- $120,590.43, and construction of a water ucts. Total disbursements for 1960 were system and well at project headquarters $322,910. Most of the disbursements were at a cost of $5,787.88. Recreation Management
The recreation area improvements con- Since 1943, the admini,stering agencies sisted of paved access roads; cleared and for areas now in the Oconee National Forest graded campsites, picnic grounds, parking and the Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge lots, and trails; buildings such as bathhouses projects have had a cooperative wildlife and rest and dressing rooms; water and program with the Georgia Game and Fish sewer systems; and grills, picnic tables, Commission. The wildlife management area boat docks, swimming facilities, garbage contains about 43,000 acres of private and and trash cans, and other essential equip- Government land, managed for deer, wild ment. The roads in the forest were built turkey, and other wildlife. Three managed chiefly to provide access to commercialfor- deer hunts have been held in recent years est areas for maintenance work, protection (1959-63) with some 1,000 or more hunters from fire, cutting and handling timber, and participating. use by rangers, game wardens, and hunters. The remainder of the project area is Additional recreational facilities were open seasonally for small-game hunting. being developed in the Oconee National AS a result of the managemint area prd- Forest in 1963 and 1964. One roadside park gram, deer have increased and spread to has been completed and picnic areas de- adjoining areas to such an extent that a veloped at 2 lakes, plus 2 wayside parks in 15-day open season before the managed the western part of the area. Facilities are hunts is possible on both the project and available for boating at 2 areas, and swim- county lands outside of the management ming at one. Two camping sites have been area. There is close cooperation with the completed recently and several other camp- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service program on ing sites are also planned in different areas. the adjoining Piedmont National Wildlife The visitors to recreation areas in the Refuge, formerly a part of the land utiliza- Oconee National Forest averaged 45,700 tion project area. per year from 1959 to 1963. The number The Piedmont land utilization projects increased to more than 75,000 annually in have cooperated in and helped support a 1963 and 1964. fire-control agreement with the Georgia Recreation is one of the major uses of Forestry Commission, the Fish and Wild- the Piedmont project areas. In addition to life Service, the H i t c h i t i Experimental Hillsboro Lake and Sinclair Lake, new Forest, the Forest Service, and the Georgia recreational areas in the Oconee National Agricultural Experiment Station project. Forest, there are 2 older sites. One of This cooperative program is closely re- these recreation sites, the Rock Eagle Park lated to the operations of a local pulp mill development, is centered around a famous and lumber company holdings adjoining the Indian rock mound--a prehistoric effigy area. that has been restored, in Putnam County, The area is particularly suited for con- near Eatonton. The 100-acre lake provides tinued multiple-use administration and facilities for picnics, bathing, boating, and management. It has a definite relationship fishing. It first was leased, thentransferred to the watershed needs and benefits of the by grant, to the 4-H Club Group Camp and local community. It lies within the water- Center. The public has access to bathing, shed of the large Georgia Power Company boating, and picnic facilities on one side Sinclair Lake development, immediately of the lake. Other historical sites in the south of the project, and is within the area are the ruins of one of the earliest watershed of the proposed Green Brier cotton mills in Georgia, built about 1812 in Creek Flood Prevention Project. the Scull's Shoal area, and two large pre- Multiple-use management for forests, historic Indian mounds about one-half mile wildlife, pastures, hunting, fishing, and south of this site. Another recreational recreation, and demonstrations of develop- unit, which has been in use for several ment, conservation, and use of land and years at Miller Creek Lake in Jones County water are practiced throughout the 144,238- near Gray, consists of a 25-acre lake that acre project area, thus insuring use of all provides facilities for picnicking, bathing, resources to good advantage. The concept boating, and fishing. It was transferred by of multiple use is, of course, modified grant to the Board of Commissioners for where needed for recognition of paramount Jones County. rights and responsibilities. After painstaking study from 1954 to 1960 land utilization projects organized in South by the Forest Service of the best use and Dakota, and one of the last projects initiated management procedures for the land utiliza- in the Nation. As a result, it profited from tion projects in the Great Plains, several experience gained in other areas. Figure 13 agricultural projects in South Dakota were shows the location of the Perkins-Corson established as National Grasslands. In 1960, and other projects in South Dakota. the Perkins -Carson project was established One reason for management of grazing as the Grand River National Grassland. on National Grasslands by grazing asso- The Perkins -Carson Land Utilization ciations is that it furnishes a ready means Project represented a completely different of extending uniform land use controls situation from that in Piedmont Georgia. beyond the boundaries of purchased land, Here, land used for dryland farming with and thus assists in better use and mainte- exceptionally low wheat yields was acquired nance of the entire area than if undertaken and converted into a grazing area, and tract by tract. The land in the Grand River farmers and ranchers on land purchased National Grassland is managed with asso- were aided in relocating on better land. The ciated private and public land by a State- project contains 155,428 acres, located authorized grazing association under a along the Grand River in Perkins and Cor- grazing agreement with the Forest Service. son Counties. The project was the last of 5 Livestock are grazed on the land under a
OCTOBER 1.1938 LAND UTlLlZATlON PROJECTS
%=.LC. ,,.T"TC "fLE5 m- to 0 to 20 >o .n SOUTH DAKOTA
Figure 13.--South Dakota land utilization projects.
l3 References used in preparing this section are bibliography references (3, 46, 47, and 133), and a paper presented at a ranger-manager meeting, Custer National Forest, March 1955, by D. A. Dyson, entitled "Philos- ophy and General Policies of Land Utilization--How It Was Accepted by the User."
4 5 common permit system by farmers and turn, often became bankrupt. The counties ranchers who have an adequate feed base took some land by tax deed, and the State to support their livestock during the time foreclosed on some which hadbeenfinanced they are not on association controlled land. under the South Dakota Rural Credit Pro- gram. County and State Governments and credit agencies tried to keep the land in History of the South Dakota Land operation, and to avoid taking title to large Utilization Projects numbers of tracts where there appeared to be any hope of payment of taxes and mort- The land utilization project areas in gage loans. They frequently refused to take western South Dakota consist of some of a deed to land for debts unless they had a the poorest land in the State for cultivated purchaser in sight. There was considerable crops. Before the homesteader reached public feeling against State, county, and these areas, ranchers were using this land credit agency foreclosures. without permit. Land near water was heavily grazed, while many areas without water Suitability of the Land for nearby were not used at all. During that Cultivated Cro~s period, access to water was a key to con- A hard fact of life about the Grand River trol of surrounding land. Because the area is the low and uncertain rainfall, rancher was often without legal control of averaging only 14 inches per year from sufficient range for efficient ranch opera- 1907 to 1937, with many dry years and few tions, he concentrated on control of access wet years. In the areas with better soils to water as a means of controlling land to and topography, successful production of which he had no valid claims to ownership. wheat and roughage is possible if combined But the homestead acts upset this limited with stockraising. But most of the area, degree of control, as the potential farmer because of limited moisture and rugged settler was allowed to homestead any un- terrain, is suitable only for grazing. reserved portion of the public domain. Homestead laws required that a house be Settlement Patterns and People built on the land and that a certain acreage of land be cultivated. The first homesteads Because of the unsuitability for farming, were 160 acres. Later, in 1909, 320 acres the pattern of settlement on small to were allowed, and in 1916, it became pos- medium-sized farms, established as a re- sible to homestead 640 acres, but these sult of the homestead laws, was bound in changed rules came too late, for much of time to have some unfortunate consequences this area had already been settled in 160- in crop failures, low incomes, farm fore- acre farms. closures, and tax delinquency. The people In the 19201s, the combined effects of who flocked to this area from 1907 to 1912 limited rainfall, drought, small farms, low were, in great part, those who had little prices, high taxes, and declining crop experience in the dryland farming that is yields began to be felt. Property values required in the Western Great Plains Re- declined, crops failed, tax delinquency be- gion. Those who had farmed were largely came commonplace, and people began to from the North Central States and other move away. But the situation deteriorated regions where moisture was more abundant so generally and so gradually that it attracted and more certain. Moreover, they settled little public attention. However, in the fol- in numbers too great for the land. Perkins lowing decade of the 19301s, the prolonged County in 1912 had more than 13,000 people. drought, the depression, and the changes in In 1960 it had fewer than 6,000 people. systems of farming combined to aggravate In 1937, 506 farms, largely in Perkins the situation. As a result, the whole Nation County, were studied by land economists became more aware of the need for some and farm management experts. More than remedial public action. 25 percent of the farms were unoccupied, Many crop farmers in western South and 35 percent of the cropland was idle or Dakota found themselves stranded on un- abandoned. Due to the drought ofthe 19301s, economic farms, heavily in debt, and with the average number of cattle had dropped no reserve of capital or credit to continue from 18,000 to 4,000 and of sheep, from or to expand their operations to efficient 44,000 to 25,000. Nearly 25 percent of the size. Many tracts of land were left idle, or farms had been taken over by mortgage abandoned entirely; some were foreclosed foreclosures by creditors, and by counties by loan companies and banks, which, in for tax delinquencies. Some of this was because of severe droughts and the great and roads and the building of firebreaks by depression of the 19301s, but much was the grazing association resulted in some because of the normal uncertainty of crop savings to local governments. farming on small to medium-sized dryland farms in an area unsuitable for farming. Resettlement of Families
Purchase and Development of the Project After acquisition of the land, one of the first problems was relocation of families Some observers suggested that the way whose homes were purchased. This prob- to solve the problem in the poor areas was lem was largely confined to those who had to let the pattern of land use and ownership insufficient means to rent or buy land, or readjust itself. But experience in the Great who lacked skills for other jobs. Resettle- Plains and other regions as well had shown ment aid was given to those most in need that the problem of low income and crop of help in finding homes and jobs. Many failure is not subject to quick adjustment, others were given employment on the project with individuals, firms, and State and local removing unneeded buildings and fences; agencies bearing the costs. As an alterna- building dams and recreation areas; and tive, a Federal land utilization purchase making land improvements, including re- program was established, to acquire and seeding cropland areas to grass, erosion improve for grazing 155,000 acres of farm- control, and water conservation measures. land as an aid to livestock farmers and to the community as a whole. The land acquired consisted of scattered Later Administration and Use tracts within designated project area, usually in a pattern suited to grouping into Grazing community pastures. Tracts which appeared to be satisfactory ranch headquarters gen- The project was administered by the erally were not purchased. The small farms, Soil Conservation Service or held under its rough lands, and dry tracts needed for con- custodianship during the period of acquisi- trol of access and water appear to have tion and the stages of development from made up most of the purchases. In some 1938 to 1954. Administration was trans- cases of isolated tracts, adjacent county ferred from the Soil Conservation Service and State land was purchaskd or public to the Forest Service in 1954. At present, domain land was transferred to the project it is administered under a 10-year agree- to block in an area. Of the approximately ment with the Grand River Cooperative 500,000 acres, 30 percent was purchased-- Grazing Association, signed in 196 1. a smaller proportion than in some other The agreement between the Forest Serv- South Dakota projects. Most of thelandpur- ice and the grazing association contains chased from private owners had improve- specifications for use and maintenance of ments, and a part had been plowed forcrops. the land and improvements. The primary By August 1943, 19,000 acres had been restriction is that the land be used only for seeded, 33 dams and dugouts for holding grazing and that grazing be limited to the water constructed. and 210 miles of new number of animal units it is determined the fences built around community pastures. range can carry for a certain number of Further work has been done since that summer and fall months. A Forest Service time. From 1943 to 1959, much was done ranger supervises overall administration by the grazing association in improvement of the ranger district and assists in devel- and maintenance of land and water re- opment and recommendations for use. A sources through use of a portion of the fees total of 182,129 acres are managed by the charged for grazing permits, as direct association, including 155,428 acres of Federal payments for these purposes de- land utilization project land and 26,701 creased. acres of privately owned and State and The removal of 162 farm operating units county owned land. in the project area affected several schools, The grazing association's maintenance and some were closed or consolidated with supervisor and his assistants distribute others in the counties. The grouping of salt, maintain the stock oilers, repair the tracts into community-type pastures and approximately 385 miles of boundary fence, the removal of other land from farming and do the required maintenance on springs, made it possible to close roads or to reduce wells, dugouts, and reservoirs. Most of the road maintenance. The closing of schools developments for watering the stock have been financed by the grazing association. projects have been completed to protect Maintenance of the 231 miles of fireguards existing habitats for this species and de- by the grazing association. velop new ones. Hungarian partridge occur The grazing association owns and main- throughout the area, but the populationis not .ins a rural firetruck that is stationed in great. Chinese pheasant are found along the Lemmon and is operated by the city fire river and on cropland near the brushy draws. department. Fire detection has not been There are approximately 4 miles of too great a problem, because most ranches shoreline under Forest Service jurisdiction and farms have telephones. Fire suppres- along Shadehill Reservoir. There are plans sion in practically all cases has been by for a boat ramp and sanitary facilities on the local fire departments from Lemmon, one of the points, if demand warrants it. Bison, Hettinger, Glad Valley, or Lodgepole, The Grizzly Campground, completed in 1962, with assistance from ranchers and farmers. is appreciated and used by many people. The local fire departments have radio con- About three-fourths mile of access road tact with the State Highway Department; the was constructed in 1963 from the camp- Game, Fish, and Parks Department; the ground to a State Game, Fish, and Park road. Highway Patrol; the game warden; and the local police. There are 21 community pastures in the Income and Expenditures Grand River Grassland, ranging from 1,280 acres up to more than 18,000 acres, and The average Federal income received 48 private allotments. Range condition map- per year, 1954 to 1962, for the use of the ping has been completed. Allotment plans 155,000 acres of Federal land in the Grand are completed for only a few of the allot- River National Grassland was $43,106. ments. Grazing permits issued to an average of 138 ranchers during the 6 years 1959 to Recreation 1964 ranged from 58,240 animal-unit months Deer and antelope are plentiful and use of grazing in 1959 to 50,700 in 1964. This the entire area. There are some areas represented 6 months' grazing for 7,526 where deer are somewhat concentrated, head of cattle and 4,620 sheep in 1964. but it is not uncommon to find mule deer Because of drought, the stocking rates have anywhere in the area. White-tailed deer varied from year to year. are found along the Grand River and its Average annual receipts, expenses for brush-lined tributaries. local management and maintenance, and Sharptail grouse are fairly numerous but capital expenditures for development 1959- their habitats are becoming sparse. Several 62, are listed below:
Average annualsincome Item Average number or expenditures Income from-- Grazing, 1954-62 ...... 58,244 animal-unit months1 $24,735 hlineral leases, 1954-62. 109 mineral leases 13,571 Land use, 1954-62 ...... 706 acres in hay and other crops2 4,800 Recreation, 1962 ...... 50,800 visits -- Wildlife, 1962 inventory.. 3,400 antelope 900 white-tailed deer 2,000 mule deer -- Total ...... Expenditures for-- Local management, oper- ation and maintenance, 1959-62 ...... Development and capital improvements, 1960-62. 3,178 I 1 month's grazing tenure f )y 1 mature cow or steer, or 5 sheep. Includes sale of crested wheat grass seed when there was a good seed crop. Source: Summarized from tables prepared by the project management field office of the Forest Service, January 1964. 48 Changes, 1955-64 tional and physical land problems which led to abusive use of cropland were different There were several significant changes in the 2 cases. The contrasts are interest- in the character of the project from 1955 to ing and significant. Possibly even the cri- 1964. The first and most important has to teria for evaluating the success of the do with the size of each ranch unit.In 1955, program in each case need to be different. the private ranch units associated with the In studying the projects, attempts were project appeared to be smaller thanaverage made to get answers to 2 questions: (1) What for the community, with many units relying was the economic effect of the purchase entirely on project lands for summer pas- programs on the agriculture of the commu- ture. Now almost all operators have addi- nities? (2) How has the development and tional private pasture, and the average size adjustment of agriculture differed within of their permits is no indication of the and outside of the project areas? These 2 scale of their operations. questions are of course closely related, and The grazing fees are based on a Govern- very difficult to answer, unless the effects ment charge, and also include costs of of the program happen to be very great. In grazing as sociation operations, and some these cases, no positive answers were additional charge for development and main- available, since agriculture has changed tenance. The Grand River GrazingAssocia- greatly in the 30-year period since initia- tion, incorporated in 1940, has strengthened tion of the projects because of improved and improved its leadership in development practices, mechanization, and shifts in type and maintenance of public and private land. of farming and land use. However, there were some judgments by individuals that the projects were beneficial and by others Achievements of the Project that they were not of great effect in changing the type of agriculture. Public objectives, as described in part I, In the Georgia Piedmont project area, p. 12, for the land use program in the Great the number of farms and amount of land in Plains, were more completely achieved in row crops has declined to less than 25 per- the Perkins-Corson project than in some cent of the peak production period. The other projects. There are a number of change was large prior to the 19301s,be- reasons for this. First, the land was pur- cause of boll weevil infestation, erosion, chased in fairly solid blocks. Second, the low productivity, and declining cotton yields. grazing as sociation its elf purchased many Shifts to generalized livestock farming, of the isolated tracts that remained in the dairying, and forestry already had started project area. Third, the grazing association in the 19201s, together with heavy out- was able to provide leadership in the de- migration of farm people. The Georgia velopment and administration of the project Piedmont projects were a demonstration of area. For these reasons, community pas- what could be done to stabilize conditions tures in the project have been relatively and to change and improve land use and successful and the relationship of the graz- development. ing association and Federal administrators In the Grand River National Grassland has been generally harmonious. area, formerly the Perkins-Corson Land Utilization Project, there likewise are spec- ulations by observers as to effects and Comparison of the Georgia Piedmont and changes. It is difficult to separate the effects the Ferkins-Corson Land Utilization of the project from the effects of many Projects other factors that promoted change between the 1930's and the 1960's. The general While the same general program objec- opinions expressed are that the project tives were pursued in both the Georgia and has been useful to the area. In making South Dakota land utilization projects, the comparisons between land utilization proj- origin of the problem in each case was ects, it is well to remember that significant different. The Homestead Act, leading to contrasts exist between projects in the 160-acre farms in a poor dryland area, Great Plains as well as between those was a factor in South Dakota, but not in projects and projects in other regions. Georgia. A century of intensive row-crop In summary, no meaningful comparisons cultivation of erodible, sloping land under can be made among land utilization projects a share tenancy system was a chief factor without balancing many factors. The suc- in Georgia. In fact, nearly all the institu- cess of a project should be measured in terms of the location and condition of the development, improvement, and mainte- land when purchased; the amount of land nance; the effect of transfers of adminis- purchased; the time and money needed for trative responsibility; and so on.
BUFFALO GAP NATIONAL GRASSLAND1&
The Buffalo Gap National Grassland, or- Early Development ganized from the Badlands- Fall River Land Utilization Project (SD1-South Dakota), is This land, where well managed, produced located in Custer, Jackson, and Pennington fair native pasture. ~estoratidnof the grass Counties in southwestern South Dakota. cover was accomplished between 1935 and Work here was initiated in 1934, with project 1941 and the area was devoted to grazing headquarters at Hot Springs and Wall, under controlled conditions. Erosion con- S. Dak. Following acquisition and develop- trol measures were installed and pasture ment, the project was administered by the was improved by planting grass, construct- Department of Agriculture in cooperation ing dams to conserve water and create with local grazing associations. watering places for stock, building check dams, developing springs, and eradicating harmful rodents. Fences and auto passes Description and Justification (cattle guards, or special entrances for vehicles only) were built. Two game sanc- The 550,000 acres in the project are tuaries were established to protect wildlife. characterized by wide expanses of gently Completion of the project placed the grazing rolling prairie grassland with rougher industry of the area on a more stable basis terrain and badland formations along the and prcvided a demonstration of reclama- White and Cheyenne Rivers. At the time of tion and better land use methods applicable purchase, 86 percent of the land was in to millions of acres of similar l;nd in the pasture, 13 percent in cropland, and 1 per- northern Great Plains. cent in wasteland. Cropland was of reason- During the 54 weeks of operation prior ably good-quality clay soils, but because of to January 1, 1937, an average of 269 the lack of rainfall, grain yields were 2 to men were employed on this project 4 bushels an acre. Farms averaged 245 weekly. acres in size, too small for economic crop production under the semiarid conditions and types of farming pursued. Rangeland Families Residing on Land was badly overgrazed, leaving little vegeta- tion to retard the flow of spring rains and Three-hundred and thirty- seven families afford protection from driving winds. Con- lived in the project area in 1934-35. Nearly sequently, wind and water erosion caused all these families moved from the project great damage. Living conditions here in area; 120 required assistance in relo- the 1930's varied from fairly good to ex- cating. tremely poor. Of 706 families studied, 412 were dependent on relief. Inadequate hous- ing, lack of medical care, and scarcity of drinking water and food were prevalent. Use of the Project Land, 1959-63 Many children suffered from undernourish- ment and ill health. The half- million acres of range furnished There were no organized recreational forage for an annual average of 202,318 facilities. Seventy-six small country schools animal-unit months of grazing inthe 5 years with an average of less than 7 pupils per 1959-63. Average Federal income and ex- school were scattered throughout the area. penditures during these years are listed There was a high rate of tax delinquency. on the following page.
l4Buffalo Gap National Grassland records, Forest Service records, 1954-64, and unpublished notes of Loyd Giover, S. Dak. State Univ. and Expt. Sta., and Norman Landgren, Econ. Res. Serv., were used in preparing this section. Average annual Item Average number income or expenditures
- - 1959-63 income from-- Grazing ...... 202.318 animal-unit months1 Mineral leases ...... 151 leases Hay and other crops ...... 177 acres Total...... Recreation ...... 44,490 visits Wildlife inventory ...... 1,600 antelope 83 white-tailed deer 720 mule deer Watershed ...... All areas are useful for watershed purposes Expenditures for local management, opera- tion, and development, 1962-64 ......
l1 month's grazing by 1 mature cow or steer, or 5 sheep.
There are 4 improved recreational areas Range Improvements Inventory for camping and picnicking. Hunting, fish- ing, hiking, riding, sightseeing, and nature Including those made prior to 1954, range study are important activities of the visi- improvements in the Fall Rive? Ranger tors. Plans have been made for additional District consist of 446 stockwater dams recreational facilities. and dugout water holes or ponds, 18 wells, In addition to the deer and antelope listed 1 spring, 382 miles of fence, 21 cattle in the wildlife inventory, there are numerous guards, and 1 barn, at a tota 1 cost of small game animals and game birds, includ- $685,390. Improvements are financedin part ing wild turkeys. by Federal agencies and in part by per- mittees, with permittees doing some of the work according to agreement. Plans for Fall River Ranger District development and maintenance originate principally with the Forest Service. The Fall River Ranger District, the largest of the 2 districts in the grassland, S~ecial-Use Permits contains 310,000 acres of usable range from the land utilization project area. The The most numerous special-use permits number of cattle permitted was 12,283, and to authorize access are found in connection the number of sheep 5,634, for an average with uranium mining claims, oil and gas grazing season of slightly over 6 months. leases, and rights-of-way for power, pipe- The number of livestock was just about lines, ditches, and fences. These access equal to the appraised carrying capacity. permits are, of course, distinct from those Nearly two-thirds of the animal-unit months legal instruments which grant access rights of grazing permitted were on National to minerals. Mining in rangeland areas Grassland and one-third on private land often increases damage, by dumping waste fenced and used with the Grassland. The and by creating erosion as earth is dug and average permit on the Grassland was for moved. 67 animal units, and on the Grassland and the enclosed private land combined was for Range Management 105 animal units. Direct permittees num- bered 110 and grazing district permittees The National Grasslands are allotted to 90. Nearly all operators had additional ranchers as individuals or groups for graz- summer pasture. ing specified numbers of livestock. Size of allotment is based on amount of former Use of Project in 1964 use as well as on weather and range con- ditions. One of the aims of the land use purchase Range analysis field work has been com- program was to extend good land use beyond pleted on the 162 National Grassland grazing the boundaries of the land purchased. In allotments to ranchers. Maps are finished the Great Plains this was accomplished by for 117 allotments. Management plans have forming grazing associations and putting all been or are being written on 29 allotments. the land these associations controlled under It will be necessary to review the range a Federal grazing association partnership analysis on about 10 percent of the allot- type of management. In the Buffalo Gap ments to make corrections and improve Grassland, 64 percent of the permitted the data. Management plans need to be grazing is on the Federal land and 36 per- written for 133 allotments. cent is on private fenced land withinor near Six individual allotments to ranchers, the grassland. It was originally assumed that including a total of 34,407 acres, are under the grazing associations would add to their intensive management. Two allotments have grazing land by leasing the county tax deed established systems of rest rotation, and 4 land, but the counties chose to sell this allotments are under deferred rotation. land and thus put it hack on the tax roll. The Shirttail a 11 o t m e nt is managed Management problems have been critical under a system of deferred rotation, at times in recent years, because of drought which is a part of the revegetation pro- and consequent va r i ati o n s in carrying gram. capacity of range from year to year. Re- Grazing agreements were in effect in curring periods of low and high rainfall and 1964 with 2 cooperative grazing districts, accompanying changes in forage production the Pioneer and Indian Districts. The Pio- necessitate yearly consideration of adjust- neer ' District includes 101,935 acres and ments in stocking rates. It is not a routine has 67 members. The Indian District in- matter or a simple operation to issue graz- cludes 49,050 acres, with 23 rancher mem- ing permits or to adjust them to changes in bers. The Cottonwood District, for which a carrying capacity. Ranchers, grazing asso- cooperative agreement was being developed ciation representatives, and rangers must in 1964, contains 53,355 acres of project work cooperatively to maintain a beneficial land. working relationship. The needed contacts Wildlife developments consist of 2 water- to obtain this relationship require time and ing places for wild turkey and 6 fenced numerous ranch and field visits and much habitat areas which have been developed office work by rangers. Rangers are said over a period of years. Trees and shrubs to need more time than they now have for have been planted in the habitat areas. grazing association and permittee contacts Browse and berry-producing shrubs have on the ground to work out grazing use been planted within fenced areas surround- arrangements and problems satisfactorily ing 4 developed springs. Three big-game from both the private and public standpoint. and browse production and utilization areas In the Buffalo Gap National Grassland are being maintained. more land is grazed under individual allot- In 1964, 8 stockwater dams and dugout ments than in the Grand River National ponds or water holes were constructed on Grassland. Only a limited number of com- National Grassland allotments by permit- munity pastures are possible because of tees. The Forest Service shared one-half the widely scattered acreage interspersed the cost by allowing grazing fee credits. with other public and private holdings. The Surveys and plans were made by the Forest Federal agency administering the land has Service range technician. In addition, the had to provide the leadership for develop- range technician surveyed and prepared ment of the land. In a few cases there have cooperative a g r e ement s for 4 dams been differences over policy whichrequired and a spring that were constructed by time to adjust satisfactorily. As a result, permittees at no cost to the Forest Serv- development of this land has not been as ice. fully achieved as in some other areas. MILK RIVER GRAZING DISTRICT PROJECT ''
2 Characteristic of the land development "This project was the second largest in work in the Great Plains is that of the the Kation. It consisted of land acquired 953,000-acre Milk River Project (LU-MT-2) from private owners, intermingled with in Phillips, Valley, and Blaine Counties in public domain land. Private dryfarming k4ar;tana (fig. 14). The objective of thc land was acquired and converteci into a development was to convert overgrazed grating area, while the impoverished dry- pasture and abandoned farmlands into pro- land wheat farmers were aided in moving ductive, permanent, and stabilized range. onto bctter tracts. The area was organized Grass was restored on the land both by into State grazing association districts and fiivirig it a period of rest in which to natu- used under suitable conservational rcgu- rally reseed, and by artificially reseeding lations. whcrc destruction of grass was most seri- In northern Montana, the reasons ior land ous. Improvement of water facilities also purchase were similar to those in the played an important part. A large number Dakotas and 1:r7yoming. First, hundreds of of check dams and stock ponds were built families had become dependent upon public to conserve small amounts of rainfall and relief, seed loans, or other subsidies, be- snowfall and to distribute water for cattle. cause of the inability of their land to pro- Fences were changed to conform to new duce grain crops except in wet years. patterns of use, and buildings no longer Second, thousands of acres of rangeland needed were removed. Some recreational were seriously depleted by wind erosion areas also were developed, including picnic and overgrazing. Thousands of acres of and campsites. rangeland had been homesteaded in public
Figurc 14.--hiontana land urilizarion projects.
;!J Bibliography reicl'ences used In preparing this sucrion were (g6,z, x, 3rd -126). domain areas and plowed up for grain cul- feed crops, and wheat brought greater secu- tivation, destroying the natural grass cover. rity by lessening the dependence on income Perhaps 10 or 20 years would have to elapse from a single crop or enterprise. before natural reseeding replaced the grass The grazing association paid fees to the cover. Government according to the carrying ca- The Milk River Grazing Project would pacity of the land. The associationprovided never have been undertaken if the problem range riders and managed the operation, had been approached from the viewpoint of including numbers of livestock permitted, how to acquire the best available grazing distribution of water, and grazing relations land. It was undertaken to help resident and maintenance. Each member was allotted families obtain more adequate incomes by the number of livestock that could be grazed relocating on better farmland, and to re- in accordance with the amount of feed which store to range land which was poorly adapted he could produce on his farm and in accord- to cultivation. ance with the carrying capacity of the The Milk River project was an effort to rangeland in his area. The grazing fee per reorganize the use of land and water re- head per month varied with the prices of sources on an area basis. It not only re- beef and mutton. The fees were used to stored nearly a million acres of land poorly manage the land, maintain and improve it, adapted for farming to grazing, but en- and pay the rental under the agreement with couraged relocation of people in the irri- the Federal custodial agency. Twenty-five gated areas to develop irrigated land for percent of the Federal income was paid to intensified production of feed crops. The the counties where the land was located. Milk River is a source of water for a rather Area management in the form of grazing narrow st rip of irrigated land. Extending associations and soil conservation district back on either side are many miles of plans and programs modified the manage- grassland interspersed with benches of ment and use of many farms and ranches dryfarming. As the project progressed, in the region and aided in maintenance of many families in the dryfarm areas grad- the land in a manner that gave a more ually congregated in the irrigated areas, reliable income. where homes, roads, schools, and other The Milk River land utilization project facilities could be more efficiently main- was administered by the Soil Conservation tained. The rangelands to either side were Service from 1940 to 1953, and by the Forest available for grazing. Service from 1954 to 1958. In 1958, the The land utilization project lands were project land was transferred to the Eiureau leased and operated from about 1940 to of Land Management of the Department of 1958 under the management of local graz- the Interior for management in Federal ing associations. The livestock was pas- grazing districts along with adjacent and tured under plans and rules set up coop- intermingled public domain land. Ranchers eratively by the grazing association andthe and farmers use the grazing land by payment Federal custodial agency. Some operators of fees for their livestock under the animal- had wheatland which they dryfarmed from unit permit system for land utilization their homes in the irrigated areas. Diver- project land in the Federal grazing dis- sification of enterprises among livestock, tricts.
CIMARRON NATIONAL GRASSLAND
The Cimarron National Grassland of In 1954, the project was transferred to Morton County, Kans., was started in 1936 the Forest Service for administration, and on land purchased with land utilization funds in 1960 was established as a National (fig. 15). Over a 3-year period, about Grassland for grazing, recreation, and 107,000 acres along the Cimarron River wildlife. were acquired. In November 1938, the area Forage is the principal use, but a sec- was placed under the administrative control ondary objective is soil stabilization and of the Soil Conservation Service, and an the prevention of erosion. This is being active program of reseeding grasses was accomplished by reseeding, balancing the started and has continued to the present. l6 number of livestock with the available for- age, and other range-improving practices. l6Soil Survey Report, U.S. Dept. Agr., Morton The Cimarron National Grassland or- County, Kans., 1963. ganization is cooperating with wildlife big-game hunting; game birds areplentiful. Several series of waterfowl and fishing ponds were constructed along the Cimarron River by the State Fish and Game Depart- ment. The use of the area by sportsmen is increasing. It is planned to increase the amount of game by improving quallLy and quantity of food and cover. A tabulation follows, showing average use and income during 19 53- 62:
I rum
- r\nimal-unit months of grazing1 ...... X,!ineral leascs ...... Recrcarion visits ...... other2 ......
Figure l5.--Kansas land urilization prolccr, Octoh~~r 1 month's grazing tenure by 1mature cow or steer, 1938. or 5 sheep. lncludcs cropping, haying, and miscellaneous other mamgcment: agencies by providmg the bcst land uses, such as Lransmission and pipeline ease- possible habitat for game birds and animals, ments. and by controlling rodents and predators. There are limited resources for fishing and Source: Narional Grassland records, Forest S~rvice.
FRENCHCREEKSTATE PARK
I:ifty miles west of downtown Philadelphia to travel even further out into the country lies what \vas first named French Creek for scenic outdoor rccreational facilities. Recreational Area, and later, French Crask On these grounds, the project was approved State Park. It is admirably adapted to as an exceptional, case, and work was recreational use, havinginteresting scenery started in 1934-35 to develop the 6,000 and beautiful streams and Lakes. Roads acres of woodland, fields, and pastures and railroads bring it within easy reach into an attractive outdoor playground. The of several million people who llvc within French Creek project was an example of A 50-mile radius. Many people had long the problems encountered in justifying pur- wished to acquire this tract for recrea- chase and retirement of farmland su~rabls tional purposes, as the area did not have for conversion to recreational and other adequate recreational facilities. special purpose uses. It was not entirely justifiable topurchase The area was transferred to thecommon- this land a:: part of the land utilization wealth of Pennsylvania in 1947 for use as program, for not only was its price rela- 3 State Park. Three lakes are within the tively high at the time, but the amount of park; the largest, Hopewell Lake, covers cropland it contained was not large, and 68 acres. Facli>ties include picnic areas, the farmlar>d was not fully submarginal campsite,, bathing beaches, hiking and when moderately wall managed. Yet cnm- bridle trails, places for fishing and boat- monsense indicat~d the urgent need of in^, and food and refreshment concessions. reserving this area for public use before Horseshoe Trail, a historic trail extending private d~velnymentiorced people in the from Valley For~eto Dattllnz Run Gap r.egion, especially those with low incomes, near Hershey, ~55~sthrough the Fark.
5 5 NEW YORK LAND UTILIZATION PROJECT17 The 15,000 acres purchased in the New themselves during the long period of wait- York Land Utilization Project (NY-LU 4) in ing for action on their applications. the south-central region of the State near Seventy-two of the displaced families had Ithaca were gradually being abandoned in the some equity in their farms and so were middle 1930's. Five of the land purchase usually able to find places and relocate areas were in Tompkins County. One, the without assistance. Fifty purchased other Hector Unit, was in Schuyler County. Of farms; 22 did not continue farming, but the 293 tracts purchased in 1935-37 only became day workers or retired because of 133, or less than half, were occupied. Un- age. favorable soil and topography were. gen- Later, 10 families were assisted by tLle erally accepted causes for the abandonment Farm Security Administration in obtaining of farming. permanent farm locations. Forty percent According to the records, 118 families of the families found new places and moved moved as a direct result of the purchase to them without Government assistance. program, and 5 were given life leases on Some families received small loans to aid their homes and permitted to live in the with relocation and operation of farms in purchase area. Of the families who moved, new locations. 90 percent were farmers. Many families In the 19401s, a survey was made by were able to find new homes without as- Cornell University and the Bureau of Agri- sistance. Some purchased other farms. cultural Economics to find how families Others went to live in nearby villages and from the purchase area succeeded in ad- towns, frequently near or with relatives. justing to relocation (42). Of 92 families Some families needed help in relocation. interviewed, 69 (7.5 percent) said they were A list of 200 farms for sale was pre- better off as a result of selling their land pared, and farmers whose land was pur- and resettling in a new location. The other chased were told of these opportunities, 29 families said their situation had not and in some cases were shown a number improved. of farms. At the time the project land was It seems reasonable to conclude from purchased, a survey was made of the fami- these answers that the relocation program lies who applied for assistance, with the was about 75 ~ercentsuccessful. The fam- intention of helping them obtain work and ilies who were most successful in reloca- places to live on resettlement projects.18 tion and readjustment were the young fami- Although a few families were accepted for lies where husband and wife were between resettlement projects in the first 3 years 21 and 40 years of age, had completed 8 after the project land was purchased, the grades of school or more, were in good majority were found ineligible, or withdrew health, and continued as .farm owners and their applications as they found places operators .
BELTRAMI WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA19
A different approach to the problem of volved in maintaining schools for children acquisition of land for land utilization living on isolated farms and in keeping projects is illustrated by the Beltrami roads open to the scattered homes. The Island project in northern Minnesota purchased farms were at first included in (fig. 16). Here the purchase of about 80,000 a public forest, but this land was less acres in poor, scattered farms in large valuable than other land that might have forest areas was carried out chiefly to been selected if commercial forests had relieve individual distress, and to relieve been the single objective. The project con- the counties of the heavy expenditures in- tained considerable areas of burned-over land, on which restocking of timber trees was a serious problem. But there was little l7Bibliography references used in preparing the question from the viewpoint of social and section are (-2) and (42). economic welfare that the lands should be 18 Survey by the Rural Resettlement Division of the put in public ownership. Many of the coun- Federal Emergency Relief Administration and the ties in the region bordering the western Resettlement Administration. Great Lakes were on the brink of financial l9Bibliography reference (99) was used in prepar- difficulty unless changes were made in the ing this section. scattered type of settlement, which required Figure 16.--:vitnnesorn lard utilimcion projects, October 1938. heavy casts for public s e r vices. The Under a long-term agreement made in Beltrami Island project did much to demon- 1940, the Minner;ota D~partmentof Con- strake in pract~cal terms the ways and servation mana~adtbe land as a part of the means of carrying out this all-important Beltrami State Forest. Later, because of process. The aid which the project provided the suitability of the land for bi~,game to the settlers themselves was of great social animals, wild birds, and fur-bearing ani- significance, for they were helped to move mals, major emphasis was placed on wild- from isolated unproductive farms inside im- life management and the project was re- mense woodland areas to b~tterfarms C~OSP~hamec! the Reltrami Wildlife Management to markets, ~chools,roads, and rural com- .%reamliecreation and forestry are important munities in which their interests centered. secondary uses of the Land. YELLOWWOOD STATE FOREST ''
T~P21,500-acre Be.an Blossom Land a living under these conditions in the Bean Utilrzatinn Project, now the YeSlowwood Blossom project area alone. Yet the val.ue State Forest, was rnitiat~din 1935 in the of the land in the area as a playground scenic hills of B.toivn County, Ind., 6 milas and recreational site, AS a scenic attraction, west of Nashv~lla,hd, (fig. 17). and for forests had already been proven by Farming in the area was mostly limited the 16,000-acre Brown County State Park to small, hilly patches of land not suited to and Game Preserve near Nashvi!le. cultivation. Trrnber had been overcut, rc- The imrnediatr objpctive of the project: duclny, this source af income. Wildl~fcwas was to take the land out of unprofitable use rapidly diminishing. Relief costs wcre high, and to show h0y.v it could be used economi- and many families were in need. Support of cally for morc desirable purposes. By 1938, sci~oolsand roads was a heavy burden. clevelopment of the Bean Blossom Project There was widespread tax delinquency. had laid the foundation for a better rural Return of iarnilies to the land during de- economy hasecl on sound use of natural pression years and absence of outside em- resources. .a.n extensive forest had been ployment had added to the problem. Some improved and enlarged. A 147-acre lake 180 families were struggling vainly to earn and 2 lakes of 20 acres each had been made, and roads, trails, campsites, and picnic areas improved and developed. The Rean Blossom Project was managed by the Indiana Conservation Department under a long-term agreement as a State Forest from 1938 to 1956, when it was granted to the State andbecame Yellowwood Statc Forest. The forest may be reached by Indiana State Roads 45 and 46, near Bclm~nt.The three lakes--Adt Lake, Bear Lake, and Ycllowood Lake--all are well stacked for excellent fishing. Hunting is perrnittcddur- ing the open season for several game species. Visitors to Yellowwood State Forest will find pleasure In a number of things: The abundance of wildflowers and wildlife, the magnificent trees, the beautiful lakes, the inspirational scenerl-. But the hiking trails have become the feature attraction. The popularity of those at Yellowwood is attrib- utable to their length, to their ruggedness, to the challenges they present, and to their unspoiled natural beauty. Two trails have been marked through the forest. Thc 22-mile Tulip Tree Trace, opened in 1958, commences at the south end of the picnic area at Yellowwood Lake and terminates in Morgan- Monroe Statc Forest which lies north and west of Yellow- wood. Eighteen miles of the Trace are t hrou~hdensc forest, following old Indlan, pioneer, and stagecoach trails. The second trail, Ten OfClocX Line, opened in February 1959, extends from a point across from the south camping Figure 17.--Indiana 13~durilization projccrs, October ground at Yellowwood Lake to the fire tower 1938. on VJeed Patch Hill in Drown County State
2Cr~ibliographyrefcrenccs (Eand (176)- were used In preparing chis s~ction.
5 8 Park which lies to the southeast. This 16- tors, othcr than ruggcd hiking enthusiasts, mile hike is a rough one across a series just come for a day or weekend .of 1eis.urely of ridges and valleys. loafin@ and picnicking. TO insure their Thes~trails have become so popular that enjoyment of the forest, pitnit areas have thousands of hikers from Indiana and other been enlarged and playground equipment parts of the country traverse their routes. erected for children. Many people come Boy Scouts use the trails for nature study just to drive the miles of scenic forest and other outdoor Scouting activities. roads. To meet the increasing public use of this Yellowwood Forcst is perhaps thc best forest for outdoor recreation, many im- example in the State for study in action of provements have been made. Two ncw corrcct forest management. Study plots are campgrounds have beam cleared, one pri- to bc found throughout and the results of marily for Boy Scouts and one for the public, forest management are clearly evidenced daubling the general camping area. Camping by several thousand acres of reclaimed is permitted only where designated. fields which were planted to fast-growirrg Other improvements include a water pine; some of the trees, now 24 years old, are system and sanitary facilities. Many visi- several inches in diameter and 40 feet tail.
BLADEN LAKES STATE FOREST^'
The BIaden Lakes State Forest of Korth stores from the large stands of IongIeaf Carolina was formed from the Jones and pine then in the area. Later, production of Salter Lakes Lad bli21zation Project (fig. cotton became important. An increase in 18). The land in this project was pur- the population beyond the capacity of the chased during the perirsd 1936-42 undcr the land to support it came from 2 chief authorrty of Title hll of the Dankhead- Jones sources: Those who moved into the area Farm Tenant Act and antecedent emer- as Iaborers in the turpentine andlumbering gency acts. The 35,875 acres cost an avcr- industries, and those who were influenced age of $4.51 per acre. by the unwise promotion of cotton produc- In 1936, the area was occupied by a tion. st randcd populatron. First eettlcd during By 1935 low price, poor soil, and the the late colonial period, it had a history of boll weevil had made production of cotton poverty. For a humired years after thc as a cash crop unprotitable. Thc naval arrival of the first settlers, farmers prac- stores and timber whidh had provided a t~cedsubsistence harming along the river large part of the population with a source lowlavds and creek 'mttsms, and sold naval of livelihood for many years was practically
Figurc 13.--h'orth Carolina Iand utilization prole-cts, April 1939.
2L~hiasechon, prepared with che aid of the Forcst Supervisor of Bladcn Lakes Srac Foresc, is a surnrnary of I??). 59 exhausted. \\ithout the means of moving to isa secondary objective, the full expan- an area of greater productivity, and with sion of the recreational use of naturallakes no way cf supporting themselves on their and surrounding areas has been of high submarginal lands, the people had, by 1935, priority. In 1917, the continued development become truly stranded in the economic of these recreational facilities was turned sense. over to the DivisioR of State Parks. The delinquent tax problem was of grave In recent years, the use of the State ~mportance.The majority of farms which Forest as a demonstrational area in all had not passed from the hands of the orig- phases of forest management and opera- inal owners to corporations, commercial tional t e c hni qu e s has been emphasized. banks, land banks, etc., had a number of Several hundred persons visit the forest years of back taxes owing. each year to observe planting, control-burn- Such was the general situation facing the ing, road construction, logging, sawmill initial planners for the land utilizationpro- operation, grafting and other silvicultural gram in this area. techniques, charcoal manufacturing, frnce- Several months were spent indetermining post treatment, and other general forest economic conditions, attitudes of local resi- management practices. Teachers, private dents and county officials, land values, landowners, businessmen, county agents, and land boundaries, and in securing op- farm boys, college students, foreign for- tions to purchase the land. Agricultural esters, and Federal and State Forest Serv- land was also purchased for the resettle- ice personnel are represented among the ment of farm families desirine- such re- visitors. Cost analyses are prepared and settlement. published for all the operations, and are During the period 1936-1939, throughuse helpful aids when lectures are presented to of Civilian Conservation Corps labor and visitors. Many interested persons avail local residents, many miles of truck trails themselves of these analyses. were constructed, game refuges were es- tablished, and the Jones Lake andsingletar? Lake recreational centers were developed. Financial Development Hundreds of acres of pine plantations were established on all available open fields. A very trying time was experienced in Many other projects basic to the develop- attempting to start operations on the State ment and management of this area were Forest. On occasion, difficulty was encoun- begun or completed during these years. tered in securing sufficient funds to pay By 1938 the majorit). of the area which for labor. The purchase of adequate equip- forms the present Bladen Lakes State Forest ment was a process requiring many years. was optioned or purchased. Under a coop- During the early days of development, em- erative agreement, the property was turned ployment was vital to the progress and over to the Forestry Division of the PJorth welfare of local residents. As the forest Carolina Department of Conservation and progressed and as labor costs increased, Development on July 1, 1939, for adminis- it became necessary to mechanize opera- tration and operation. Since that time, with tions as muchaspossible. At present, amuch the exception of the first 2 critical years, greater volume of work is done withasmall Bladen Lakes State Forest has beenoperated number of men using modem machinerythan and developed on a completely self- was done by larger crews in earlier days. sustaining basis. On October 19, 1954, the Receipts for 25 years, July 1939 to June entire area was transferred to the State of 1964, are summarized in the following North Carolina by the Federal Government tabulation: in fee simple. Sawed lumber 25,558,885 board feet $1,227,339 Logs 12,803,452 board feet 300,190 Objectives Pulpwood 56,969 cords 391.017 Treated posts 346,947 posts 169,341 The primary objectives in the manage- Ocher 152.913 ment of the forest area are to build up the growing stock of timber on the overcut and 2,240,800 hadly burned areas; toutilize all resources, While the State Forest has been self- including game; and to demonstrate that supporting almost since its inception, large such an area can more than payits own way sums of money and a great amount of effort under sound forestry operations. have gone into the project. The 35,875 acres of land cost the Federal Government a total ducted on the State Forest. Nearly all long- of $165,466.90 in 1939. Since this initial leaf ridges are now on a 2- to 3-year purchase of property, the capitalized value burning rotation. These controlled burns of the State Forest has tremendously in- have reduced the general threat of creased. Below is a summary of the valua- forest fires on the State Forest, and have tion of the State Forest from a Bladen aided in the suppression of several poten- County report prepared for tax purposes tially disastrous fires. The controlled burns in October 1957: have also served to release longleaf pine seedlings from the grass stage in heavy Total value of forested lands ...... $1,301,570.00 wiregrass cover, to eliminate brown spot Taxable valuation (35 percent of from innumerable areas of severe infesta- above) ...... 454,549.50 tion, and to prepare seedbeds receptive to (Tax rate @ $1.35 per $100) to the regeneration of many acres of long- Tax paid to Bladen County on State leaf pine in openings throughout the forest Forest ...... 6,136.42 area. No uncontrolled forest fire of any conse- This valuation does not include buildings, quence has burned on Bladen Lakes State houses, sawmill, and equipment. It repre- Forest since April 1955. sents an estimate of the valuation of the Forest as compared to other forestedlands Construction and Maintenance in the county. Initially, only such headquarters buildings were c ons t r u c t e d as were necessary-- Personnel and Organization office, garage, and supervisor's residence. Several of the better homes of local resi- The State Forest directly employs 30 dents were salvaged for use by State Forest persons listed as foresters, rangers, fore- employees. Since the early years, many men, equipment operators, post plant oper- improvements and additions have been made ators, forestry workers, etc. In addition to on all of the original buildings and several these persons directly employed, 12 to 16 structures have been added. are engaged in contractual work, such as preparing fenceposts and cutting pulpwood. Truck Trails There are approximately 150 persons de- pendent upon wage earners working on the During the first years of its operations, Forest. the State constructed 44.6 miles of forest roads. Heavy emphasis has been placed on new road and trail constructionwork during Experimental Projects in Progress the past few years, and approximately 45 miles of new roads have been added to the As stated before, a principal objective of State Forest network, making a total of the administration of the State Forest is its 89.6 miles. These represent only roads continued development as a demonstrational maintained by State Forest personnel. They area for all interested persons. In further- do not include the 40 or 50 miles of the ance of this objective, joint studies are State highway system of graded and paved undertaken with cooperating State and Fed- roads passing through the Forest or the eral agencies. innumerable miles of access trails con- Each year, an extensive fire prevention structed and maintained. campaign is waged in the general area of the State Forest. Fire prevention exhibits Game Manaeement are mounted in local store windows and such exhibits attract a considerable amount No hunting is permitted on Bladen Lakes of favorable attention. During periods of State Forest. It is a game preserve, and extreme danger, heavy motor patrols are game wardens employed by the North Caro- started and personal contact work with all lina Wildlife Resources Commission heavily persons living around the Forest is inten- patrol the area to insure that all wildlife sified. A year-round duty roster of all is protected. persons employed by the forest is main- Of course, innumerable private parties of tained, and during critical periods all per- deer hunters regularly hunt onprivate lands sons are subject to standby duty. around the State Forest and harvest the For the past 8 to 10 years, large-scale excess "crop" of deer raised on its pro- control burning operations have been con- tected areas. SANDHILLS WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA 22
The Sandhills Project(LU-NC-3)inNorth sources of water for many fish breeding Carolina illustrates developments under- pools, fishing sites, and other water needs taken in the naturally forested eastern part in the area was completed at an early stage of the United States. of project development. Lakes on the project For the most part, the 113,000acres pur- are now available for public fishing. chased in the Sandhills area was unsuited Game raised on the game farms was to successful cultivated crop productionand released on the designated game refuges, more adapted to upland game on the hills and surplus game distributed to other public and fish in the streams, ponds, and lakes. projects, including forest, recreational, and Forest stand improvement at first was a wildlife areas. Public hunting is allowed leading job. Because of the need for forest- under supervision and control. The overflow tree stock to restore this sandy area to of deer from nearby public forests and forest cover, a forest-tree nursery was private areas in uplands and swamps served one of the first things to be developed on to establish an increase in the supply of the Sandhills project. During the year 1937, deer on the project. Hunting and fishing 13 million forest-tree seedlings were pro- privileges are in demand, since the Sand- duced and used on the project and other hills Region is an attractive fall and winter nearby projects where similar conditions resort area near centers of considerable prevailed. population. Wildlife development also received high The purchase and development of land priority on the Sandhills project. A fish unsuited to farming gave the owners and hatchery was established to prdvide fish for operators an opportunity to dispose of sub- restocking streams, lakes, and ponds inthe marginal farms and to move to better land, project area and in other projects in the and has kept the submarginal land from Southeast. Protective cover for upland game being used for farming. The practical for- and food crops for game birds were planted. estry development by fire protection, tree Recreational facilities on this project in- planting, and management; wildlife produc- cluded development of an artificial lake, tion and conservation; and development of and the building of cabins, trails, camping fishing, hunting, and recreational facilities areas, and picnic grounds for the use of the has served to demonstrate ways touse poor large number of visitors. farm lands in the Sandhills Region for wild Game farms were developed for produc- game and recreation, to the greater benefit tion of quail, turkey, and small game ani- of the people of nearby States and of the mals. Construction of impounding dams as public generally.
CLEMSON FOREST 23
Historical Background the direction of President Robert F. Poole, and in 1946 and 1947 two foresters, N. B. The land in Clemson Forest (Clemson Goebel and Dr. K. Lehotsky, were employed University Land Utilization Project, South to manage the forest and to establisha basic Carolina (SC-3)) was acquired during the curriculum in forestry. period 1934- 39. The purchase included 206 Two notable events have occurred since separate tracts varying in size from 9.8 then: (1) The land use area, comprising to 1,054 acres. During the preceding 175 27,469 acres, was deeded to the university years or so, the land was in private owner- in 1954 and (2) the Hartwell Dam, that would ship and used in varying degrees of inten- take 7,667 acres of college land for its sity by 1,000 or more farm families that reservoir, including 5,626 acres in forest, occupied the land in regular and irregular was begun in 1956. University timber sal- succession. vage operations began in the basin in May Clemson University began supervising the 1956. land in December 1939, under a cooperative Records on the timber harvest from the agreement with the Federal Government. forest show that 33.3 million board feet of Administration of the land was set upunder timber were harvested and sold in the 15
22~ibliographyreference (160) was used in preparing this section. 23Bibliography refr-ences used in preparing this section are (9,92, and 131). years 1944-59. Included inthis harvest were Coordination of Forest Management 16.1 million board feet cut from the 5,626 with Research, Teaching, and acres absorbed by the Hartwell Reservoir. Demonstration Timber sales 1959-62 averaged $50,000 annually. Approximately 1 million board It is the objective of the forest manage- feet of sawtimber and 5,000 cords of pulp- ment staff to so coordinate the management wood were cut each year. activities that they will serve the needs of teaching, research, and demonstration. Ac- cordingly, the following suggestions were Timber Inventories, 1936-58 offered by the forester in a report in 1959: 1. Proceed with the program of stand In 1936 the U.S. Government madea cruise delineation, and prepare prescriptions of the timber in the land utilization project for the trouble spots, i.e., salvage area. The area classed as forestland in this and sanitation areas, etc. cruise totalled 17,644 acres. The cruise 2. Review the plan of operations for the gave a total of 37,368,000 board feet, or an forest with a committee of five rep- average of 2,118 board feet per acre. resenting teaching, research, and To obtain more recent data regarding the demonstration. condition of the Clemson Forest as a guide 3. Operate the forest as recommended to management, a systematic reconnais- by the committee and approved by sance inventory was made during the sum- the Head, Department of Forestry. mer of 1958, in which 232 point samples 4. Budget the timber sale receipts to were taken. The following tabulation com- carry on the development of the pares the inventories: forest. It is estimated that through salvage and Date of Total forest Av. volume sanitation cuttings there can be an annual Total volume inventory acreage per acre cutting budget of around 1,500,000 board feet during the first cutting cycle. This -Acres Board ft. Board ft. would result in an annual income of $30,000. The pine and hardwood pulpwood market would take 5,000 cords, 50 percent of which 'would be pine. This would amount to $15.,000. On the basis of these estimates, an annual In round figures, the inventory showed income of around $45,000 would be realized 127,000 cords of pine pulpwood, 77,000 from timber sales. cords of hardwoods, 30 million board feet Through the coordinated efforts of the of pine sawtimber, and 42 million board committee, as proposed in items 2 and 3 feet of hardwood sawtimber. This gives a above, a forest can be developed that will total growing stock of 204,000 cords of meet the needs of research, teaching, and wood plus 72 million board feet of saw- demonstration, and incidentally provide the timber. income to finance the major operations. BIBLIOGRAPHY
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1955. The Great Plains in Transition. 428 pp. Univ. of Okla. Press. Landis, Paul H. . 1935. Probable Social Effects of Purchasing Submarginal Land in the Great Plains. Jour. Farm Econ. 17 (3): 513-521, Aug. LaMont, T. E., and Tyler, H. S. Land Utilization and Classification in New York State. N.Y. (Cornell) Agr. Expt. Sta. Bul. AE- 119. Lane, Charles N. 1935. Submarginal Farm Lands in New York State. 56 pp. (A rpt. to N.Y. State Planning Bd., Mimeographed.) Leffelman, L. J. 1943. War Comes to the Briar Patch--Piedmont Land Adjustment Project. Soil Conserv. Mag., Feb. Long, David D., Maxon, E. T., Kirk, N. M., and others. 1922. Soil Survey of Oconee, Morgan, Greene, and Putnam Counties, Georgia. U.S. Dept. Agr., Bureau of Soils. 61 pp. and map. (Unnumbered report.) Lord, Russell, and Johnstone, Paul H. 1942. A Place on Earth. A Critical Appraisal of Subsistence Homesteads. U.S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Agr. Econ., 202 pp., Apr. (Mimeographed.) Malphus, Lewis D. 1938. The Resettlement Project of Approximately 25,000 Acres in the Vicinity of Clemson College. Clemson College, S.C. (Unpublished thesis in partial fulfillment of M.S. degree.) Marshall, James H., and Voelker, Stanley. 1940. Land Use Adjustments in the Buffalo Creek Grazing District, Yellowstone County, Montana. U.S. Dept. Agr. Bur. Agr. Econ., 59 pp., Aug. (Mimeo- graphed.) Mason, John E. 1940. Isolated Settlement in Koochiching County, Minnesota. U.S. Dept. Agr. Bur. Agr. Econ., 49 pp., Nov. (~imeographed.) ' ! McArdle, Richard E. 1960. The Sixties--Decade of Decision. Amer. Paper and Pulp Assoc. Rpt., 10 p., Feb. New York. McCall, Hugh R. 1940. Land Utilization Development. Soil Conserv. Mag. 5 (5): 170-174, Jan. Moe, Edward O., and Taylor, Carl C. 1942. Culture of a Contemporary Rural Community. Union, Iowa. U.S. Dept. Agr. Bur. Agr. Econ. Rural Life Studies NO. 5, 93 pp., Dec. (Mimeo- graphed.) Moore, H. E., and Lloyd, 0. G. 1936. The Back-To- The-Land Movement in Southern Indiana. Ind. Agr. Expt. Sta. Bul. No. 409, 28 pp., Apr. Murchie, R. W., and Wasson, C. R. 1937. Beltrami Island, Minnesota Resettlement Project. Minn. Agr. Expt. Sta. Bul. No. 334, 48 pp., Dec. Murray, William G. 1935. Research on Rural Appraisal Problems. Jour. Farm Econ. 17 (3): 491- 500, Aug. Nichols, Ralph R., and King, Morton B., Jr. 1943. Social Effects of Government Land Purchase. U.S. Dept. Agr. Bul. 390, 55 pp., June. U.S. Dept. Agr. in coop. with Miss. State Col. Nowell, R. I. 1937. Resettlement Administration Experience. Jour. Farm Econ. 19 (1): 206-220, Feb. Penny, J. Russell, and Clawson, Marion. 1953. Administration of Grazing Districts. Jour. Land Econ. Vol. XXIX, No. 1, Feb. Peterson, William. 1932. Land Utilization in the Western Range Country. Natl. Conf. Land Util. Proc: 38-47. Pick, Lewis A. 1952. Flood Control. Mil. Engin. 44 (301): p. 323, Sept.-Oct. Pine, Wilfred, H. 1960. Land Problems in the Great Plains. (Chapter 27.) Modern Land Policy. 359 pp. Univ. of Ill. Press. Powell, David P., and Gay, Charles B. 1941. Physical Land Conditions in Greene County, Georgia. U.S. Dept. Agr. Soil Conserv. Serv. Phys. Land Survey No. 23, 53 pp. Proctor, Roy E. 1957. Type of Farming Areas of Georgia. Ga. Agr. Expt. Sta. Bul. N.S. 48, Dec. Purcell, Margaret R. 1945. A Quarter Century of Land Economics in the Department of Agriculture, 19 19-44. U.S. Dept. Agr. Bur. Agr. Econ. 46 pp., Oct. (Mimeographed.) Regan, Mark M. 1960. Implementing Land Resources Policy. (Chapter 19.) Modern Land Policy. 359 pp. Univ. Ill. Press. Renne, Roland R. 1936. Montana Land Ownership--Analysis of the Ownership Pattern and Its Significance in Land Use Planning. U.S. Dept. Agr. Bul. 322, 58 pp., June. U.S. Dept. Agr. in coop. with Mont. Agr. Expt. Sta.
1936. Probable Effects of Federal Land Purchase on Local Government. ru'atl. Munic. Rev., Vol. XXV, NO. 7, July.
1950. Range Land Problems and Policies. Chapter 7, Land Problems and Policies. Iowa State Col. Press, Ames.
1958. Social Control of Landed Property and Agricultural Land. Chapters 16 and 19, Land Economics--Ed. 2, rev. Harper and Bros., New York. Reuss, L. A., and McCracken, 0. 0. 1947. Federal Rural Lands. U.S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Agr. Econ., 73 pp., June. (Mimeographed.) Robbins, Roy M. 1939. The Public Domain in the Era of Exploration, 1862-1901. Agr. Hist. 13 (2): 97-108, Apr. Rowlands, W. A. 1936. Possibilities of Rural Resettlement in Wisconsin. Agr. Engin. 17 (6): 251-253, June. (Reprint.) Salter, Leonard A. 1948. A Critical Review of Research in Land Economics. 258 pp. Univ. Minn. Press, Minneapolis. Senzel, Irving. 1962. New Facts About Our Agricultural LandLaws. Our Public Lands, Vol. 12, No. 1, July. Saunderson, M. H., Haight, K. B., Peterson, E. M., and Willard, Rex E. 1937. An Approach to Area Land Use Planning. Mont. Agr. Expt. Sta. Land Use Planning Pub. No. 16, Mar. Mont. Agr. Expt. Sta. in coop. with U.S. Dept. Agr. Szhwartz, Hugo C. 1939. Governmental Tax Immunity, I--The Problem. Land Policy Rev. 2 (1): 30., Jan.-Feb.
1939. Governmental Tax Immunity. 11--What To Do. Land Policy Rev. 2 (1): 30, May- June. Snyder, John I. 1946. TVA's Land Buying Program. Tenn. Val. Authority, Dept. Property and Supply, 44 pp., Feb. (Mimeographed.) Spector, Albert B. 1937. Legislative History of Land Utilization Provisions in the Farm Tenancy Bill. U.S. Dept. Agr. Pub. No. 210, 47 pp., Nov. (Mimeographed.) Spurlock, R. L., and Lingo, S. M. 1939. Land Use Adjustment in the Spring Creek Area, Campbell County, Wyoming. U.S. Dept. Agr. Soil Conserv. Serv., 15 pp., illus. Unnum- bered rpt. Starch, E. A. 1939. Type of Farming Modification Needed in the Great Plains. Jour. Farm Econ., Vol. 21, No. 1, Feb. Stauber, B. R. 1932. Average Value Per Acre of Farm Real Estate in United States Was $48.52 in 1930. U.S. Dept. Agr. Yearbook, 1932: 474-478. Steele, Harry A., Solberg, Erling D., and Hill, Howard L. 1958. Measures to Facilitate Land Use Adjustments in the Great Plains. Paper for the Great Plains Agricultural Council, July. (Mimeographed.) , and Landgren, Norman E. 1962. Demands for Land for Agriculture--Past, Present, and Future. Home- stead Centennial Symposium (Lincoln, Nebr.) Proc. U.S. Dept. Agr. Econ. Res. Serv., 25 pp., June (Reprint.) U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Economics, Bureau of. 1938. Report of the Chief, 1938, 36 pp. , Agricultural Economics, Bureau of. 1938. Clemson College Land Utilization Project. Mar. , Agricultural Economics, Bureau of. 1938. The Bean Blossom Land Utilization Project. - , Agricultural Economics, Bureau of. 1938. The Land Utilization Program for the Northern Great Plains. 15 pp. (Unnumbered pamphlet.) , Agricultural Economics, Bureau of. 1939-41. Reports of the Chief. 1939-40-41. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 1956. Effects of Acreage-Allotment Programs--A Summary Report 1954-1955. U.S. Dept. Agr. Prod. Res. Rpt. 3, 18 pp., June. , Agricultural Research Service. ,1958. The Conservation Reserve Program of the Soil Bank--Effects in Selected Areas, 1957. U.S. Dept. Agr. Agr. Inform. Bul. 185, 34 pp. Mar. , Agricultural Research Service. 1959. Land Ownership in the Great Plains. U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. ARS 49-93. 31 pp., June. (Preliminary report.) , Farm Security Administration 1942. Report on Move Status of Families Originally Residing on Land-Use Project Areas, April 1942. U.S. Dept. Agr. Farm Security Admin.
Rpt. 21, May. (Mimeographed.)- - , ores st service. 1960. The National Grasslands. U.S. Dept. Agr. Program Aide No. 607, 27 pp., July 25. , Forest Service. 1954-63. Annual Reports of the Chief of the Forestservice, 1954-1963. , Forest Service. 1964. The National Grasslands Story. U.S. Dept. Agr. Program Aid No. 607, 17 pp., March. , Land Use Coordination, Office of. 1940. The Dust Bowl--Agricultural Problems and Solutions. Ed. Ref. Ser. No. 7, July. , Land Use Coordination, Office of. 1941. Report of the Office of Land Use Coordination, for July 12, 1937 to June 30, 1941. 100 pp., July. (Mimeographed, general report to the Sec. of Agr.) , National Conference on Land Utilization. 1932. Proceedings of the National Conference on Land Utilization, Chicago, Ill., Nov. 19-21, 1931. 251 pp., May. , National Land- Use Planning Committee. 1933. The Problems Of "Submarginal" Areas, and Desired Adjustments. with Particular Reference to Public Acquisition of Land. Natl. Land Use Planning Com. Pub. 6, 24 pp., Apr. , National Resources Board. 1934-35. National Resources Board Report 1934, and Supplementary Report of the Land Planning Committee, Vol. 12, 1935. (Submitted to the President in accordance with Executive Order No. 6777.) , National Resources Board. 1935. Maladjustments in Land Use in the United States. Pt. 6, 55 pp. , National Resources Board. 1940. Public Land Acquisition--Part 1: Rural Lands. Land Com. Rpt., 25 pp., June. , National Resources Board. 1942. Public Works and Rural Land Use. Land Com. Rpt., 6 pp., Sept. , Resettlement Administration. 1935. The Resettlement Administration, Resettlement Admin. Pub. 1, 27 pp., Sept. , Resettlement Administration. 1936. Interim Report of the Resettlement Administration, April. , Resettlement Administration. 1936. Sen. Res. No. 295, A Report on Objectives, Accomplishments, and Effects of the Resettlement Administration Program. Sen. Doc. 213, 74th Cong., 2nd Sess. May 12. , Resettlement Administration. 1936. First Annual Report of the Resettlement Administration, June. , Resettlement Administration. 1937. Report of the Administrator of the Resettlement Administration, 1937, Oct. , Resettlement Administration. 1937. The What and Why of the Sandhills Project. 15pp. (Unnumbered booklet.) U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service. 1939-53. Reports of the Chief, 1939-1953. U.S. Department of the Interior. 1956. Federal Land Policy. 25 pp., June. (Mimeographed.) , Bureau of Land Management. 1962. Land Acquired Under Title I11 and Administered by the Secretary of the Interior. Info. Memo., June. (Mimeographed.) U.S. National Planning Association. 1942. For a Better Post-War Agriculture. Planning Pam. 11, 47 pp., May. Voelker, Stanley W., and Longmore, T. Wilson. 1939. Assessment of Dry-Farming and Grazing Lands in Weld County, Colo. U.S. Dept. Agr. Bur. Agr. Econ., July. (Unnumbered rpt. Mimeographed.) Wager, Paul W. 1945. One Foot on the Soil--A Study of Subsistence Homesteads in Alabama. 230 pp. Univ. Ala., Tuscaloosa. Wallace, Henry A. 1934. Permanent Control of Agricultural Production. U.S. Dept.Agr. Yearbook, 1934: 20-25. Wallace, Henry C. 1921. The Year in Agriculture--The Secretary's Report to the President. U.S. Dept. Agr. Yearbook, 1921: 1-67. 164) Weeks, David. 1934. Land Utilization Investigations in California. Radio address, San Fran- cisco. 5 pp., Sept. (Mimeographed.) 166) Wehrwein, G. S. 1931. A Balanced Use of Land--for Agriculture--for Forests--for Recreation. Univ. Wis. Ext. Serv. Radio Cir., 28 pp., Feb. Madison. 166) 1937. An Appraisal- - of Resettlement. Jour. Farm Econ. 19 (1): 190-205, Feb. 167) 1939. The Economic Status of Isolated Settlers inthe Cutover Area of Wisconsin. Jour. Land and Pub. Util. Econ.. May. , Hendrickson, Clarence I., Saunderson, M. H., and others. 1938. Rural Zoning. U.S. Dept. Agr. Yearbook, 1938: 241-245. Wilsie, Roger H. 1963. The Economics of Classifying Farmland Between Alternative Uses. Nebr. Agr. Expt. Sta. Res. Bul. 208, March. Nebr. Agr. Expt. Sta. in coop. with U.S. Dept. Agr. Wilkins, Tivis E., and McIntire, George B. 1942. An Analysis of the Land Acquisition Program Under Title I11 of the Bank- head-Jones Farm Tenant Act. U.S. Dept. Agr. SCS-MP-26. 34 pp., Aug. (Mimeographed.) Wilson, M. L. 1923. Dry Farming in the North Central Montana Triangle. Mont. Expt. Sta. Ser. Bul. 66, June 1923.
1937. Agricultural Conservation--An Aspect of Land Utilization. Jour. Farm Econ. 19 (1): 3-12, Feb. Wooten, H. H. 1953. Major Uses of Land in the United States. U.S. Dept. Agr. Tech. Bul. 1082, 100 pp., Oct.
1955. Agriculture and Forestry Competition or Coexistence. Internatl. Jour. Agr. Aff. 2 (2): 169-185, June. Wynne, Waller. 1943. Culture of a Contemporary Rural Community, Harmony, Georgia. U.S. Dept. Agr. Bur. Agr. Econ. Rural Life Studies 6, 58 pp., Jan. Young, G. E. 1933. Marginal Farmland in Southern Indiana. Ind. Agr. Expt. Sta. Bul. 376. 28 pp., March. APPENDIX A. --EXPLANATION OF DIFFERENCES IN REPORTS OF ACREAGES ACQUIRED IN THE LAND UTILIZATION PROGRAM^^
Annual and other reports and records of acquisition, title clearance, payment, and transfer of land by the agencies administering the land utilization program show that 11,299,000 acres of land were acquired in the program (table 12). If to this is added the 353,525 acres for which titles had not been cleared prior to transfer to other agencies, the total amount of land acquired under the program totals 11,652,062 acres. There were several instances of transfers of land and responsibility for title clear- ance subsequent to acceptance of options and the commitment of funds, but prior to title transfers. For example, the recreational land use projects were consigned by Executive Order to the National Park Service and other agencies on November 14, 1936, before completion of titles. The total acreages for land acquired under the land utilization program include the land for which titles had been obtained in recreational projects prior to the transfer of these projects to other agencies by the Executive Order. Titles had been obtained for 127,697 acres for recreational projects on this date, out of the total recreational areas of 394,968 acres, for which approvals and commitments to purchase had been made. Thus, the difference--267,271 acres--optioned and approved for purchase, but for which titles had not been obtained are not included in the total land utilization acreage reported acquired. Payment had been made and titles cleared for 713,319 acres of the total of 734,999 acres of wildlife lands for which commitments had been made, leaving 2 1,680 acres not included in the total acquired under the land utilization program. Of the total Indian lands of 971,879 acres for which commitments had been made at time of transfer, payment had been made and titles cleared for 907,325 acres, making a difference of 64,574 acres not included in the acreage acquired under the land utilization program. Various landholding and administering agencies of the land utilization program in the 1930's and early 1940's did not keep records of real estate on a uniform basis. Various sets of figures, ostensibly pertaining to the same acquisition, transfer, assignment, grant, or exchange, reported by different agencies in the 1930's frequently are not in complete agreement, nor are they subject to verification. The writers of various reports have en- deavored to select the most reasonable presentation of data. Nevertheless, overall totals given in the tables may be approximations subject to variation depending on dates and sources. Total acreage acquisitions reported by years generally represent land for which titles had been cleared and for which the sellers had been paid. For some years, espe- cially for 1935 and 1936, data ondelivery of checks were not always readily available, and the acreage under legally accepted options and approvals for purchase were used as the acquired acreage. However, data for other years shows there was not a large difference in the total acreage for which options had been accepted and approvals given for purchase during the year, and the final acreage for which titles were cleared and checks were delivered. The land uses as of June 30, 1964, are shown in tables 13 and 14. Another source of difference in land utilization acreage reported acquired was ex- changes, grants, and sales of larger or smaller acreages of private and other public land of land acquired in the land utilization program. Table 15 shows grants and sales to States and local agencies. Frequently, exchanges resulted in increases in acreage of certain projects. The differences sometimes are explained in footnotes or in detailed records of annual operations, but are not always carried in final or summary reports. Transfers of about 500,000 acres in scatteredtracts of public domain land to the land utilization program also affected total acreage and average costs per acre of land ac- quired. Records of transfers of tracts of public domain land within or adjacent to land utilization projects are not always clear as to whether the acreage was included in the totals acquired. Total acreage acquired as calculated from reports and records may be low because of exclusion of some public-domain land.
24 Data and calculations are based on annual reports and memoranda of the Bureau of Agricultural Econom- ics, the Soil Conservation Service, and the Resettlement Administration, and on .AgriculturalStatistics, 1936-53, U.S. Dept. Agr. TABLE 12.--Submarginal land acquired by U.S. Department of Agriculture, by States.193 5.46
Criginal or New or Total Title I11 State and region emergency 1935-4h3 programs. program 1935-37l 1938-46 3
1.000 acres 1. 000 acres 1.000 acres
Maine ...... 7 9 26 New Hampshire ...... 0 0 ( 4, Vermont ...... 0 0 0 Massachusetts ...... 0 0 0 Rhode Island ...... 13 ( 4, 13 Connecticut ...... 10 2 12 New York ...... 74 20 94 New Jersey ...... 0 0 0 Pennsylvania ...... 33 16 49 Delaware ...... 4 1 5 Maryland ...... 41 4 45 Dist . of Columbia ...... 0 0 0
Northeast ...... 192 52 244 Michigan ...... 92 15 107 Wisconsin ...... 225 19 244 Minnesota ...... 189 15 204 Lake States ...... 506 49 555 Ohio ...... 36 2 38 Indiana ...... 49 16 65 Illinois ...... 28 15 43 Iowa ...... 2 0 2 Missouri ...... 13 27 40
Corn Belt ...... 128 60 188
North Dakota ...... 882 2 63 1,145 South Dakota ...... 742 230 972 Nebraska ...... 176 25 201 Kansas ...... 54 48 102
Northern Plains ...... 1,854 566 2, 420
Virginia ...... 42 15 57 West Virginia ...... 6 10 16 North Carolina ...... 141 21 162 Kentucky ...... 70 2 72 Tennessee ...... 69 16 85
Appalachian ...... 328 64 392 : TABLE 12.--Submarginal land acquired by U.S. Department of Agriculture, by States, 1935-46--Continued
Original or New or Total emergency Title 111 State and region 1935 -46 programs. Program3 1935 -37l 193866
1. 000 acres 1. 000 acres 1.000 Acres
South Carolina ...... 148 7 155 Georgia ...... 181 78 259 Florida ...... 609 16 625 Alabama ...... 127 5 132 Southeast ...... 1. 065 106 1. 171 Mississippi ...... 110 26 136 Arkansas ...... 254 33 287 Louisiana ...... 200 2 202 Delta States ...... 56& 61 625 Oklahoma ...... 60 93 153 Texas ...... 18 114 132
Southern Plains ...... 78 207 285
Montana ...... 1. 709 402 2. 111 Idaho ...... I38 1 139 Wyoming ...... 273 151 424 Colorado ...... 254 410 6f3 New Mexico ...... 1. 042 308 1. 350 Arizona ...... 0 4 6 46 Utah ...... 65 4 69 Nevada ...... 0 3 3
Mountain ...... 3. 481 1. 325 4. 806 //ashington ...... 241 9 250 Oregon ...... 239 102 341 California ...... 0 22 22
Pacific ...... 480 W3 613
United States ...... 8. 676 2. 623 11. 299 1 Annual Report of Resettlement Administration. 1936. table 2. pp . 127.131. Status of Title Clearance Under Old Utilization Program Prior to Authorization of Title 111 of Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act. July 1937. Soil Conserv . Serv., Dec . 31. 1942 . Status of Title Clearance Under Title 111. Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act. Feb . 28. 1943. Reports of the Chief. Soil Conserv . Serv., 1943-46 . Reports covering details of land acquisition by the Soil Conservation Service. under Title I11 of the Rankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act. prepared in 1942 and 1943. do not include all the land in process of acquisition . Consequently. the acreages reported in them are less than those in this table . New Hampshire. 45 acres . Rhode Island. 53 acres . TLLBLE 13.--Land utilization land in National Forests, National Grasslands, and other areas administered by the Forest Service as of June 30, 19u1
National National Other State and region Tot a1 Grasslands areas / 1,000 acres Maine...... New Hampshire ...... Vermont...... Massachusetts...... Rhode Island ...... Connecticut...... New York...... New Jersey ...... Pennsylvania...... Delaware ...... Maryland ...... Dist. of Columbia...... Northeast ...... Michigan ...... Wisconsin...... Minnesota......
Lake States...... Ohio ...... Indiana...... Illipois...... Iowa ...... Missouri ...... Corn Belt ...... North Dakota...... South Dakota ...... Nebraska ...... Kansas...... Northern Plains ...... Virginia...... West Virginia...... North Carolina...... Kentucky...... Tennessee ...... Appalachian...... South Carolina...... Georgia ...... Florida ...... Alabama ...... Southeast ......
See footnotes at end of table. TABLE l.3.--Land utilization land in National Forests, National Grasslands, and other areas administered by the Forest Service as of June 30, 1964l.. continued
National National Other State and region I Tot a1 Forests Grasslands areas
1 1. 000 acres I 1. 000 acres I 1. 000 acres 1 1. 000 acres Mississippi ...... Arkansas ...... Louisiana ......
Delta States
Oklahoma ...... Texas ...... Southern Plains ...... Montana ...... Idaho ...... Wyoming ...... Colorado ...... New Mexico ...... Arizona ...... Utah ...... Nevada ...... Mountain ...... Washington ...... Oregon ...... California ...... Pacific ...... United States......
Record of land utilization projects transferred to the Forest Service, or placed under its custody. based on Forest Service tables dated May 15. . 1961. as subsequently corrected and adjusted to June 30. 1964 . Maine 465 acres; Iowa 360 acres; Indiana 523 acres . TABLE 14.--Federal Grazing District areas, National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, and Indian Land units formed from land utilization projects under administration of agencies oi' the U.S. Department of the Interior
Federal National Indian State and region grazing dis- wildlife National Total trict areas1 ref uges2 parks lands acreage
- 1,000 acres 1,000 acres 1,000 acres 1,000 acres 1,000 acres
Maine ...... 0 0 6 0 New Hampshire ..... 0 0 0 0 Vermont ...... 0 0 0 0 hlassachusetts.. ... 0 0 0 0 mode Island...... 0 0 0 0 Connecticut ...... 0 0 0 0 New York ...... 0 0 0 0 New Jersey...... 0 0 0 0 Pennsylvania...... 0 0 1 0 Delaware ...... 0 0 0 0 Maryland ...... 0 0 5 0 Dist. of Columbia. 0 0 0 0 Northeast ......
.Michigan...... Wisconsin ...... Minnesota ......
Lake States .....
Ohio ...... Indiana ...... Illinois ...... Iowa ...... Missouri...... Corn Belt ...... North Dakota...... South Dakota...... Nebraska ...... Kansas ......
Northern Plains.
Virginia ...... West Virginia.. ... North Carolina .... Kentucky ...... Tennessee ...... Appalachian. ....
South Carolina.. .. Georgia ...... Florida ...... Alabama ...... Southeast ...... See footnotes at end of table. TABLE 14.--Federal Grazing District areas, National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, and Indian Land units formed from land utilization projects under administration of agencies of the U.S. Department of the Interior--Continued
Federal National National Indian State and region grazing dis- wildlife Total trict areas1 refuges2 parks2 lands acreage
1,000 acres 1,000 acres 1 1,000 acres / I )f~ississippi...... 0 38 0 0 38 Arkansas ...... 0 0 0 0 0 Louisiana ...... 0 162 0 0 162
Delta States ...... 0 200 0 0 200
0kl:horna ...... 0 0 0 19 19 Texas ...... 0 8 0 0 8
Southern Plains. .. 0 8 0 19 27 I I I I Montana ...... Idaho ...... Wycrni ng ...... Colorado ...... New Mexico...... Arizona ...... Ut& ...... Nevada ......
hlountain...... 2,354 19 2 765 3,140
Washington ...... 0 28 0 0 28 Oregon ...... 95 0 0 1 36 Californiz. 0 9 ...... 4 0 -. 4 I Pacific ...... 95 32 0 1 128 United States ... 2,449 667 1 139 1,010 4,265
Land utilization project acreage reported in 1964 by the Bureau of Land Management as administered in Federal Grazing District Areas. From reports and tables, Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, and Indian Service, 1961. Kansas, 80 acres. TABLZ 15 . ..Grants and sales of land utilization ~rojectlands to State and local agencies, 1954-1961
State and region
1.000 acres 1.000 acres 1. 000 acres
Llaine ...... 0 New Hampshire ...... 0 Vermont ...... 0 Massachusetts ...... 0 Rhode Island ...... 0 Connecticut ...... 0 New York ...... 0 New Jersey ...... 0 Pennsylvania ...... 0 Llelaware ...... 0 Maryland ...... 0 Dist . of Columbia ...... 0
Northeast ......
Michigan ...... 'll/isconsin ...... 57 14 71 Pdinnesota ...... 21 0 21
Lake States ......
Ohio ...... Indiana ...... Illinois ...... Iowa ...... Missouri ......
Corn Belt ......
North Dakota ...... South Dakota ...... Nebraska ...... Kansas ......
Northern Plains ...... 1 3 Virginia ...... West Virginia ...... North Carolina ...... Kentucky ...... Tennessee ...... 75 0 75 I I Appalachian ...... 192 14 206
South Carolina ...... 56 0 56 Georgia ...... 53 0 53 Florida ...... 185 114 299 Alabama ...... 0 0 0
Southeast ...... 294 114 408
See footnotes at end of table . 8 0 TABLE 15.--Grants and sales of land utilization project lands to State and local agencies, 1954-1961' ..Continued . State and region
1. 000 acres 1. 000 acres l. OoO acres Xississippi ...... 1 I Arkansas ...... muisiana ......
Delta States ...... Oklahoma ...... Texas ...... Southern Plains ...... Montana ...... Idaho ...... Wyoming ...... Colorado ...... New Mexico ...... Arizona ...... Uteh ...... Nevada ...... Mountain ...... Washington ...... Oregon ...... California ...... Pacific ......
United States ......
Record of grants and sales from Jan . 2. 1954. to May 15. 1961. to State and local agencies from acreages transferred to the Forest Service . Prior to Jan . 2. 1954. approxi- mately 300. 000 acres were transferred to State and local agencies. making a total of almost 1.300. 000 acres in 80 some projects . Kansas; 152 acres . APPENDM B. --CHRONOLOGY OF THE LAND UTILIZATION PROGRAM^^
A. FACTORS L,IADING UP TO ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PROGRAM
1. Research and reports on land utilization, 1919- 1934. 2. Recognition by Congress of the problem of submarginal land by special authoriza- tion in the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1929 for the Federal Farm Board "to make investigations and reports, ... including ... land utilization for agricultural purposes; reduction in acreages of unprofitable marginal lands in cultivation." 26 3. Recommendation of a program of land utilization by the National Conference of Land Utilization held in Chicago, November 1931 .27 4. Recommendation for retirement of farmland unsuitable for agricultural use, by the Land Planning Committee of the National Resources Board in its report, December 1934.~~ 5. Action by the Special Board of Public Works to start a Federal Land Program including proposal to offset increased production from new reclamation projects by purchase and retirement of submarginal farmlands, August 1933.
B. FIRST FUNDS FOR SUBMARGINAL LAND PURCHASE OF $25,000,000 ALLOTTED BY THE PRESIDENT TO FEDERAL SURPLUS RELIEF CORPORATION, DECEMBER 1933.
C. PROGRAM UNDER FEDERAL EMERGENCY RELIEF ANDAGRICULTURALADJUST- MENT ADMINISTRATIONS, 1934- 35.
1. Funds transferred February 1934 by Special Board of Public Works from Federal Surplus Relief Corporation to Federal Emergency Relief Administration. 2. Policies and procedures outlined in Federal Surplus Relief Corporation Resolution of January 1934. 3. Submarginal Land Committee representing the Federal Emergency Relief Admin- istration and the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture, including the Land Policy Section of Agricultural Adjustment ~dministration,assigned overall direc- . tion of the program from February to July 1934. 4. State Rural Rehabilitation Corporations given responsibility for resettlement of families, May 1934. 5. Procedure and policies realigned under Director of the Land Program, appointed by Federal Emergency Relief Administration, July 1934. 6. Special board for public works accepted program of projects outlined by the Di- rector of the Land Program, July 1934. 7. Drought relief funds totaling $53,390,000 made available to The Land Program, August 1934. 8. Major part of drought relief funds allotted for land purchase and development withdrawn for relief purposes, March 1935. 9. In certain States, withdrawal from homesteading or disposal of all public domain lands for classification, February 1935. 10. Federal Emergency Relief Administration Administrator given authority by Presi- dent to purchase and administer certain property, March 1935. 11. Emergency Relief Appropriation Act authorized President to acquire real property approved April 1935.
25~hisappendix was prepared from (a)A Chronology of the Land Utilization Program, 1933-1940, by P.K. Hooker, a 100-page unpublished manuscript, Soil Conservation Service, 1941; and (b) records and reports fur- nished by F. W. Grover, E.G. Grest, J.E. Elliott, and others of the Forest Service, 1949-1963; and by R W. Rogers, R.K. Wright, Dorothy Long, and others of the Soil Conservation Service, all of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 26 U.S. Congress, Agricultural Marketing Act of 1929. 27 National Conference on Land Utilization, Chicago, Ill. Proc. Nov. 1931. 28 National Resources Board Report. Dec. 1, 1934; and Supplementary Report of the Land Planning Com- mittee. Vol. I and 11. 1935. '-. .-. 12. Authority given the President to allot funds from emergency relief appropriations to purchase and develop submarginal lands for public purposes, August 1935. (Sec. 55, PL 320, 74th Congress.)
D. PROGRAM UNDER RESETTLEMENT ADMINISTRATION^^
Resettlement Administration established, by Executive Order, April 1935. The land utilization program transferred to the Resettlement Administration, with an initial allotment of $48 million dollars for land purchase and $18 million dollars to employ labor for development, April 1935. Land Utilization Division of Resettlement Administration given immediate direction of program, April 1935. Reassignment of planning and acquisition of land for resettlement of families on submarginal lands from Land Utilization Division to Resettlement Division, Nov- ember 1935. Withdrawal, March 1935, of $50,000,000 of drought-relief-allotted funds delayed land acquisition--and opened door to early criticism of program. Development of projects restarted later by allotment of $40,391,676 for employment of relief labor. Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of the Interior: Public Domain Lands in LU Projects, October 1935. Memorandum of Understanding with Office of Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior: Administration of Indian Projects (including final disposition made of such projects), October 1936 to September 1939. Recreational demonstration projects transferred to National Park Service, Novem- ber 1936. Wildlife projects transferred to the Fish and Wildlife Service (formerly the Bio- logical Survey) prior to and after November 1936. Logjam in payment of vendors finally broken, April to November 1936. Resettlement Administration transferred to Department of Agriculture, December 1936. Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act ehacted by Congress, July 1937. Appropriation of $10 million for fiscal year ending June 1938, and not to exceed $20 million for each of 2 fiscal years thereafter, was authorized by the Bankhead- Jones Farm Tenant Act, to effectuate the land utilization program, as redirected by the Act. Name of Resettlement Administration changed to Farm Security Administration, September 1937, with assignment of responsibility for resettlement and tenant purchase programs under Titles I, 11, and IV of Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act.
E. LAND UTILIZATION PROGRAM UNDER BUREAU OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, September 1937.
1. Transfer of land utilization program to Bureau of Agricultural Economics, au- thorized by Secretary of Agriculture, September 1937. 2. Departmental policies for land utilization program under Title111 of the Bankhead- Jones Farm Tenant Act outlined by Secretary, September 1937. 3. Organization under Bureau of Agricultural Economics, September 1937. 4. Lands acquired under emergency program transferred to Title 111 Program, June 1938. 5. The Farm Security Administration's part in program from September 1937 to July 1938. (a) Memorandum of Understanding between Farm Security Administration and Bureau of Agricultural Economics as to responsibilities for land utilization, September 1937.
29For additional information, refer to (150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155)
8 3 (b) Memorandum of Agreement between Bureau of Agricultural Economics and Farm Security Administration for relocation of families on land utilization projects, February 1938. (c) Transfer of program to Bureau of Agricultural Economics completed, July 1938. (d) Memorandum of Agreement between Bureau of Agricultural Economics and Farm Security Administration for assistance to families on projects established under Title 111, July 1938.
F. PROGRAM UNDER SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE, October 1938 to December 1953.
1. Secretary of Agriculture authorizes transfer of program to Soil Conservation Service, October 1938. 2. Organization under Soil Conservation Service from November 1938 to May 1942. 3. Statement of objectives, policies and management of the Soil Conservation Service.
G. PROGRAM UNDER FOREST SERVICE, January 1954 to December 1964.
1. Transfer of program to Forest Service authorized by Secretary of Agriculture, ef- fective January 1954. 2. Disposal of lands acquired under Title I11 of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act: (a) ~ssi~nments,sales, and transfers prior to January 2, 1954. (b) Assignments, sales, and transfers on and after January 2, 1954. 3. ~ana~ementand use of land utilization program lands.